Augustine's Ring 1
by ephiny63
Summary: Complete, With Dean's b'day approaching Sam has a vision of two men from the past who look exactly like him and Dean. Now Dean is in a race against time to save his Sam from the past and to return another Sam to his own before history changes for good.
1. Chapter 1

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

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author's note: Okay so the ring came to me in a dream last night and no matter what I did, I couldn't get it out of my mind all day so tonight I ended up with this. Don't ask me where it came from or where it is going, it is going to be as much of an adventure for me as it will be for you. Hope you enjoy it.

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CHAPTER 1

Sam sipped his coffee and grinned at his brother over the rim of his cup, 'so you gonna sulk the rest of the day?'

'I am not sulking I am contemplating,' Dean shot back his mouth filled with half-chewed food.

'Eww gross Dean, eat before you speak, you jerk.'

'Bitch.' Dean spat out as he swallowed deeply, 'anyway I am not sulking.'

'You so are,' Sam grinned pushing his plate away and swallowed the last of his coffee, 'so we right to go or what?'

'Hold your panties Samantha what's the rush?'

'What's the hold up, oh wait are you getting a bit slower in your old age? I mean geeze Dean aren't you turning twenty-eight in two days?' Sam laughed, 'that's so close to oh what is it thirty?'

'Yuck it up geek boy, you're no spring chicken yourself.' Dean grumbled as he tossed the money for the food onto their bill and didn't wait for Sam to catch up with him, he didn't even smile at the waitress on the way out. Sam gave her an apologetic shrug when he saw the confused look on her face, only a short while ago Dean flirted outrageously with her, until she made a simple comment about his age.

Sam hurried to the door and caught up with his brother on the veranda, 'hey Dean,' he said trying to keep his face straight, 'dude is that a grey hair?'

'Where?' Dean turned around his hand reaching to his head and aiming a glare at his younger brother, 'you bitch!'

'Oh ha I am sorry Dean but you're such an easy target.'

'Oh I am gonna remember that when it comes to your birthday.' Dean grumbled as he unlocked his side of the car, got in and took off leaving Sam standing in a cloud of dust.

'Oh and that's real mature Dean!' Sam yelled after him, glancing around he noticed just how deserted the diner was, pushing his hands into his jacket pockets, he started walking in the same direction Dean drove off in. Figuring when his brother cooled down he'll turn around and come back for him. Well that was the idea anyway.

As Sam wandered along the road, he started to go over the list of possible presents he could get for Dean's birthday. The last year had been hell on the boys and they both needed to kick back and have some fun, Dean's birthday seemed like a perfect idea.

A bright flash sent a small wave of panic through Sam, he kept walking trying to push it to the back of his mind, the flash blinded him, and he stumbled to his knees, his hand automatically reaching out to break his fall. Shaking his head, Sam swallowed down on the rising nausea and tried to calm himself down; he had to learn to control the visions somehow.

_An old house flashed into his line of sight, and then it changed into a window, then an old tree at the front of the house with a tyre-swing hanging from it. Dust covered everything as he flashed on the interior of the house, it felt deserted, but a presence remained. The vision changed again and he could see a man standing with a straight back and neck his head held high. He rested on an ornate walking stick, with a dragon's head handle. The vision flashed brightly again and he saw the same scene from a different angle, the straight backed man knelt down next to a body and removed a ring from the ring finger on the right hand. The ring's jewel hit the light and blinded Sam completely._

Sam's arm shook with the effort of keeping him upright, he could feel the dampness on his face and realised that his nose had started to bleed again. The headache seared through his brain and hit just the right spots to induce his stomach into releasing his lunch onto the side of the road.

After emptying his stomach Sam tried to stand but his legs buckled under him and he passed out on the side of the road.

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Dean thumped the steering wheel for a third time and ran his hand through his hair, for the third time. _'Sam can be so freaking annoying!' _

Sighing heavily he stared at the countryside and shook his head again, so much for quiet time, he started the car, planted his foot and squealed the tyres, leaving behind black tattoos on the asphalt and a cloud of black smoke. Pushing the play button he turned up the volume and drummed the steering wheel in tune to Metallica 'Of Wolf and Man' humming along to the lyrics.

A slumped figure on the side of the road made Dean slow down, frowning he pulled to a stop and ran leaving the car door swinging. 'Sammy?' he whispered recognising the brown jacket. 'Sammy!' He cried out as he reached his younger brother and skidded to a stop, 'hey Sammy come on talk to me dude what happened?' Dean gave Sam a cursory visual to check for major injuries, 'dude what were doing out here? Did a car hit you? Sam come on talk to me.'

'Dean?' Sam blinked owlishly up at his brother, aside from looking dazed and extremely pale he didn't seem to have any serious injuries. 'Dean?'

'Yeah it's me, Sammy what the fuck do you think you were doing? Why didn't you just wait for me to come back?'

'Thought I would save you the trip,' Sam said grimacing as he lifted his head, 'we got anything in the car for a headache?'

'Headache? Damn it Sammy did you have a vision?'

'Ah yeah.'

'And I fuck up again.' Dean slammed his fist into the dirt, 'I'm sorry Sam I shouldn't have taken off on you like that.'

'Dean don't...please do you want to know about the vision or what?' Sam asked as he accepted Dean's help to stand up.

'Okay where are we going?'

'I don't think that we have to go that far Dean, but it was really weird.' Sam sighed wincing as the headache attacked the backs of his eyes. 'I ah saw a house, an old run down house it…it had an old tree out the front with a tyre-swing hanging from it. Um then it changed and I saw this strange man, he stood really straight backed with a cane…it had a dragon's head handle. Then it changed and he knelt next to body and took a ring off the ring finger on the right hand, then the jewel hit light and it was blinding.' Sam finished and rubbed his eyes, 'shit I'm tired Dean.'

'Okay so first thing to do is to find somewhere to stay and then we'll start researching this stiff dude and that ring.'

'Dean I'm sorry.'

'What for?'

'I – I thought that we might have had some time to have some fun and do something special for your birthday, guess I have wrecked things again.'

'Nope you haven't, never know we might breeze through this hunt and be on our way before that…that day.'

'Yeah right Dean I can really see that happening,' Sam managed a grin as he settled back into the car seat and pinched the bridge of his nose, he could feel another nose bleed coming on and didn't want to upset Dean.

'Hey Sammy I am really sorry for taking off on you like that, I dunno what got into me.' Dean said so quietly that Sam barely heard him.

Dean pulled into a small cabin motel, happy in the fact that they would have a separate cabin and not a room connected to everyone else. He let Sam rest in the car while he booked them in and then he drove them to the room, insisting on Sam resting while he unpacked the car.

Sam sat on the bed relieved to have a rest but suspicious about Dean's behaviour he is never this helpful or selfless without wanting payment of some kind. 'Dean you sure that you're okay dude?'

'Yeah why?'

'Nothing, want a coffee?'

'Sure dude there's supposed to be a fully stocked kitchen, with coffee and stuff in the cupboard.'

Sam sat the steaming drink in front of Dean and then went back to his bed, propping himself up on the bedhead, unable to stop yawning, 'so where do you want to start looking?'

'Well you're gonna sleep off that headache and I'm gonna surf the net.' Dean announced with a look that defied Sam to argue with him.

A soft sigh escaped from Sam's lips as sleep claimed him; grinning Dean pulled a spare blanket out of the closet and carefully laid it over his baby brother.

'Sleep well Sammy,' he whispered staring down at Sam. Sighing he went back to the laptop and started scrolling through copious amounts of rings, ornate green jewelled antique rings that might have a suspect history.

Yawning and stretching Dean realised that he had been on the computer for over two hours, he glanced over at Sam who slept soundly, almost too soundly for Sammy, but after the latest vision and residual headache, Dean didn't take too much notice of it.

Just as he was about to close the computer down for the evening the ring on the last page caught his eye.

'Sammy, hey sleeping beauty wake up.' Dean yelled into his brother's ear, shaking his brother's shoulder, time to rise and shine Samuel.' When Sam didn't stir Dean felt a familiar panic rise in him, rolling Sam onto his back he checked his airways and made sure that he was breathing, nothing seemed to be astray until he noticed the thin line of blood trickling from Sam's nose down the side of his face and staining the white pillow case. 'Sammy hey wake up now,' Dean shook Sam with a little more urgency, only breathing when he saw Sam's eyes flicker and slit open, wincing when the light hit his sensitive eyes.

'Dean? Turn the light off ... ah it hurts.' Sam complained shielding his eyes with a hand, 'what's wrong?'

'What's wrong? What's wrong with you Sam?' Dean demanded turning the overhead light off.

'Why did you wake me?' Sam asked rubbing his face he tried to sit up but instead settled on resting back on his pillows.

'I think I found your ring,' Dean announced bringing the laptop over to Sam, 'it's called the Augustine Ring and it fits your description, and look at the dude wearing it.'

Sam squinted at the screen; a picture of a well-dressed straight-backed man posed standing just behind a seated younger man, the standing man rested his free hand on a dragon-headed cane, his other one on the young man's shoulder. On that, hand was the ring Sam saw in his vision.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

Author's note: I have no idea on what Sam and Dean's second names are, so I have been a little creative they just sound right and I am don't know Dean's birthday.

I know Sam's is easy to workout, six months before Mary's death as she was buried on 6th November 1983 (according to the supernatural Warnerbros site, in the journal). So May is easy to work out, however I can't find anything on Dean's b'day so I am going to create one for him the only easy thing is the year lol and the fact that he is 4 ½ years older than Sam. If anyone can help me out with a correct date, I would love to hear from you and will update the dates so to speak. Otherwise, it is Author's discretion! LOL Oh and one last thing, I found Dresden Kansas doing a Google search. I have never been there before, in fact never been outside Australia so I am only working on some research of the place and area, and lots of imagination. I would just like to give a blanket apology to anyone who comes from there or near there if I get anything wrong about the town, state, history or the people. Except for the name of the town and the location, so basically I am making it up as I go along.

So enough rambling let's get on with the next chapter...

CHAPTER 2

'Dean that picture dates from the nineteenth century, it doesn't make sense.' Sam mused starting at the computer screen, 'why now?'

'Dunno but ... hey Sammy you okay?'

'Yeah just ... dude see that younger guy.' Sam nodded to the screen, 'who does he look like?'

'Yeah well how would I hey ... Sammy it's you,' Dean said his shock registering in his voice.

'Dean the older guy the one with the ring, he's you Dean.'

'Yeah well he might be a bit older but damn he is a handsome dude isn't he.'

'Is this why I didn't see their faces in the vision?' Sam asked more to himself than to Dean, standing up he rubbed his forehead and started to pace the room, 'I mean if ... it was our faces and this has something to do with the family or us why didn't I see it in the vision?'

'Dude ... chill you're giving me a headache,' Dean said watching his brother pace; 'I mean they're not exactly us are they.'

'What do you mean?'

'Look at them, the one that looks like me he'd be what a good twenty years older than I am ah at the moment,' Dean frowned when he thought of his birthday again, 'and the dude that has your kiddie face on him, he would be what at least ten years older than you.'

'True so what or who are they ... ancestors? I guess that would explain a little about why they were in the vision, but dude my visions until now are about the demon or at least attached to him and others kids like me.'

'So, we have to work out who they are especially this incredibly dashing older dude, and see if they are related.'

'Trouble is Dean we don't know if they are on Mum's or Dad's sides of the family.' Sam frowned and sat back down at the computer staring at it intently he clicked on the zoom key and enlarged a corner of the image. Sighing he shook his head and rested his aching wrist on his knee, the cast itched interminably and his knitting bones ached, 'check out the names and dates Dean.' Dean moved a little closer to the screen and squinted to read the inscription:

'Dean Jonathon Winchester

and

Samuel William Winchester

24th January 1878.

'Dude that's your birthday!' Sam exclaimed breathlessly, 'what's going on?'

'You don't have to remind me of that I can read ... fucked if I know little brother, I really have no idea.'

'Dean they have our names ... do you remember every hearing about Mum and Dad naming us after family?'

'Nope, does it say where this picture is now?'

Sam reread the article attached to the scanned image, 'okay it says here that the portrait was taken on Dean Jonathon's fortieth birthday, and that the two brothers disappeared two days later, the only thing found was the ring, known as Augustine's ring. They shared a house here, remained unmarried, and ... hey get this dude, they ran a Detective agency together, most of the towns people thought that they were crazy as they often investigated unexplained phenomenon. A local historian, Gerard Wiley recently uncovered the ring while doing research on the property the Winchester brothers owned.'

'So we have to find this Gerard guy and find out what he knows about them.' Dean mused.

'Dude,' Sam started turning to face his older brother, 'this is so creepy.'

'Tell me about it, they never married dude, and they lived together like what two old bachelors or more like spinsters?'

'What Dean you worried that we might end up like them?'

'Fuck no! I am gonna go down dying surrounded by beautiful women, while you on the other hand Sammy boy will probably perish by the dreaded researchitis disease all geeks get after a while!'

'Oh funny Dean, very funny, just because you're the one with a grey hair!' Sam shot back before disappearing into the bathroom, still chuckling.

_'Chambre de la Mort'_

_Winchester's House_

_Dresden, Kansas_

_22nd January 1878_

_The door slammed shut and the elder brother strode in, his cane clicking chillingly on the wooden floor boards. 'Samuel get your ass downstairs immediately.' Dean Jonathon Winchester bellowed at the base of the stairs before striding to the drawing room where he poured himself a whiskey._

_The younger of the two brothers came down the stairs slowly, almost timidly, 'what is it Dean? I am in the middle of something.'_

_'You can forget whatever trollop you have upstairs and tell me what you were doing at the graveyard without me last evening.'_

_'Dean, you are injured I thought I would be fine to finish the hunt myself and look at me I'm fine, obviously I am capable of hunting on my own.'_

_'Do not use that tone with me Boy.' Dean snarled gripping his cane even tighter than before, 'I expressly ordered you to wait for me.'_

_'And then what Dean? Look at you ... you can hardly walk that last hunt we went on almost took your life and now you have to use a cane.' Samuel protested trying to calm his elder brother down, 'it is my turn to look after you Brother.'_

_'I am well aware of what happened on the last hunt, I am the one who was injured if I remember correctly.'_

_'And it was my premonition that gave us the information in the first place, because of me you almost died, I could not bear that, I will not bear that on my conscious Brother I can't.'_

_'Samuel you have to understand that we are not like other people, we are here for a reason.'_

_'I understand that believe me, I hear Daddy's words in my mind every day and every night in my dreams.'_

_'Father also said that you were special Samuel, and that it is my task to protect you, not the other way around.'_

_'Forgive me Dean I promise I will not do it again,' said holding his hands up in surrender, 'I do not wish to argue with you.'_

_'Nor I with you Samuel but you have to understand, Father wanted us to continue the fight against evil and we can only do that if we stick together.'_

_'Speaking of which where were you exactly last night Dean?' Samuel asked determined to continue the argument although he had no idea why it seemed so important._

_'That is of no consequence.'_

_'You call Jessica a trollop and yet you will not tell me who you spent last evening with?' Samuel spat out his green eyes flaring darkly at his elder brother._

_'Jessica? Is that her name?'_

_'Yes it is Dean and I intend on asking her to be my wife.' Samuel answered lifting his chin and straightening his back and shoulders until he towered over his older brother._

_'Be it on your head Samuel,' Dean muttered taking a long draught of his whiskey before topping it up, 'if it is so important for you to know where I was ... I was with Mary Beth.'_

_'Four nights in a row my dear Brother, does this mean that you also are contemplating marriage?'_

_'Excuse me Little Brother, but I also have a standing meeting time with the delightful Mary Casterton, and also the voluptuous Rose Aberden...'_

_'Enough Dean, your debauched social life gives me a headache.' Samuel held his hand up, wincing he pinched the bridge of his nose and blinked furiously._

_'Samuel what is it? Another premonition?' Dean gasped forgetting his anger at his brother immediately._

_'Cave ... argh ... large creature ... high pitched argh ... screaming ... ' Samuel squeezed his eyes closed and dropped to his knees as the vision overwhelmed him, 'storms, lightening ... sacrifice ... large demon flaming yellow eyes.' He panted out as the disjointed images flashed in front of his eyes blocking out everything else._

_'Sam?'_

_'It is Samuel not Sam.' Samuel grunted as he reached blindly for his brother's hand, 'that demon is going to attack again.'_

_'You mentioned a cave and storm a lightening storm...'_

_'Yes, it is going to happen soon a sacrifice to that demon.' Samuel shuddered as he thankfully allowed Dean to guide him to the sofa under the window. 'I feel that the sacrifice could be someone like I am Dean, another with an ability like myself.'_

_Just then, Jonas came in coughing slightly to announce his arrival. Jonas had been with the two brothers since their birth, originally a slave owned by their parents, Jonas stayed with the Winchester family when they gave him his freedom. His attachment to his two young charges went deeper than anyone knew. He was their protector, houseman, and friend and confident throughout their lives, and now after the death of their beloved father, he filled that position as well. He guarded the family secret ferociously and had even killed to protect his young charges._

_'I'm sorry for disturbin' ya Dean, Samuel but a package has arrived for ya Dean.' The elderly man smiled knowingly at the older brother, 'I'm thinkin' it's an early birthday present.'_

_'Well Jonas where is it?' Dean blurted out and then immediately looked shamefaced, 'forgive me old friend, I am concerned about Samuel, and well, I had no right to snap at you.'_

_'Now don'tcha be worryin' bout a thing Dean, now do ya want to open this or?' the older man grinned and shuffled slightly over to Dean, 'ol' bones just aint what they used to be,' he muttered under his breath._

_'You are going to out live us all old friend.' Dean grinned taking the small parcel from him. Sitting down on the sofa and easing out his injured leg Dean inspected the label on it first, 'it appears to be a woman's writing, but there is no name or return address attached ... Jonas who delivered it?'_

_'A young-un, dirty looking imp too he jus' gave it ta me an' ran off.' Jonas wrinkled his nose in disgust, 'scrawny lil urchin from the streets.'_

_'Thanks Jonas, could you fix Samuel some of your hickory coffee and bring him his headache medicine?'_

_'Ya okay Boy?' Jonas asked squinting down at Samuel, 'ya lookin' awful pale.'_

_'I'm fine thanks Jonas, but some of your hickory coffee would be nice,' Samuel smiled wanly up at the older dark-skinned man, a look of pure affection on the young man's face. After his mother dying when Samuel was only six months old, he was raised by Jonas and his now departed wife Ruby, he loved them more than his own father or grandparents. The only one who sat above Jonas in Samuel's mind was his brother Dean. 'What's in the parcel Dean?'_

_Dean ripped the paper open and a small ring box toppled out, clicking the ornate gold lock, he levered the lid open with a fingertip, gasping when he saw the ring nestled in amongst the soft black velvet lining. A large green jewel glittered in the middle of an heavily carved gold band. A small card read 'Augustine's Ring'._

Cabin 12

Plains Cabin Motel

Dresden, Kansas

23rd January 2006

Sam sat staring at the sunrise on the bonnet of the impala a cup of coffee cupped in his long fingers. An overwhelming feeling of exhaustion washed through him, he hadn't slept at all, every time he closed his eyes, he saw the other Winchester brothers, the older one bending over the dead body of the younger one slipping that ring off the right hand of the body.

He could almost feel the pain inflicted before the other Samuel Winchester died, his back ached, and he had trouble breathing during the night. Now his throat hurt and itched and his broken wrist hurt more than ever before.

He found solace in watching the delicate tendrils of daylight snaking across the predawn sky, pinks, and reds merging with the purplish-black and then the contrast of gold exploding with the rising sun. He could hear Dean's soft snores coming from the cabin, bringing a smile to Sam's lips, his brother could sleep through a bomb if he had to.

A warm dampness on his hand startled Sam and he looked down to see two perfectly round drops of blood, lifting a shaking finger to his nose he realised that another nose bleed was starting. Pinching his nose, he slipped off the car and waited until the dizziness passed before heading back inside; with the sun now higher in the sky and the spectacular colours of the dawn fading Sam felt a heaviness on his shoulders once again. Something bad was going to happen he just knew it.

Slipping inside he made his way to the bathroom where he bent over the basin and watched the blood drip into it. His headache started at the back of his eyes again, building in pressure until it brought tears to his weary eyes.

He stood trapped in a bubble of time, waiting for the pain to ease and the bleeding to stop unaware of anything or anyone around him. All Sam could see was the two brothers from the portrait, one with such a straight back and Dean's face, and the other more youthful looking one with Sam's face and sorrowful eyes.

Finally, Sam snapped himself out of his reverie and wiped his face with a damp face cloth, sighing heavily he checked his watch; he had been standing at the basin for over an hour. A frown creased his brow as he thought of the time lost and no sound from Dean.

'Hey Dean you up yet?' he called as he finished washing and opened the bathroom door. He stood staring at the cabin interior in shock. Someone or something ransacked the room completely, everything was either pulled apart, ripped up or discarded violently in a pile on the floor, both of the beds had been overturned, and there was no sign of Dean.

'Dean!' He yelled running to where his brother had been sleeping, blood stained the sheets, and a small trail of the viscous red fluid led to the front door. Breathlessly, Sam ran to the door and skidded to a stop, slipping in the freshly spilt blood. Dean laid facedown on the ground at the back of the impala, a dark; pool of fluid surrounded his head and right leg.

'Dean.' Sam cried out sinking to his knees beside his fallen brother he immediately felt for a pulse, there was one but it was faint and too fast to count. A large gash ran down the right side of Dean's face, from temple to the start of his jawbone. A raw looking bruise surrounded the cut, already turning purple and dark blue. A bullet hole in Dean's right thigh bled profusely, wincing Sam slipped his hand under the injured leg and felt the exit wound, the bullet must have passed straight through the muscle.

'Hey kid you alright?' a gruff voice sounded from behind Sam, he turned a tearful gaze at the older African-American man.

'Please, help someone ... someone attacked my brother ... he ... he needs an ambulance.' Sam cried his anxiety heavy in his voice, 'please I can't wake him.'

'Take it easy kid, I'll get you the ambulance, you hurt?'

'No, no not really. Please help Dean, he won't wake up.' Sam wept as he brushed his good hand over Dean's face, all of his fears and guilt rose to the surface as he watched his brother's life slip away in front of him. He has lost so much blood, Sam stared down at his own hands, his good one stained with his brother's blood, why was there so much blood?

'Ambulance on the way Son, now what's your names?' the older man asked as he returned to Sam's side.

'Sam, I'm Sam Winchester and ... my brother's name's Dean.' Sam managed to whisper, 'please help him.'

'I ah I have rung for the ambulance and the police are on their way too.'

Sam nodded his head mutely and returned his attention to Dean, 'he's so still, so still.'

'Sam can you tell me what happened?'

'I ah must have passed out in the bathroom; umm I had a headache and nose bleed. When I came, too I went back to wake Dean and ... and found ... ' Sam's voice trailed off as his pent up emotions spilled over. Absently he straightened Dean's T-shirt and placed his plaster encased hand lightly on top of Dean's chest, 'I'm here Dean, please come back to me.'

'Son, you sure that you're not hurt anywhere?' the stranger asked again trying to get Sam to talk to him; he could see he was slipping into shock. 'You said that you passed out?'

'I ah think so, I'm not sure I lost an hour.' Sam muttered unintentionally, 'look mister thanks for everything but...'

'The name is Jonas and no thanks is necessary.' The old man grinned patting Sam's shoulder, 'now I'm going to get a blanket to cover Dean, you going to be alright?'

Sam nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on Dean's face, silently willing his brother to open them and give him his trademark lopsided grin.

'What's taking the ambulance so long?' He mumbled as the man named Jonas spread the blanket lightly over Dean.

'They won't be much longer,' Jonas said trying to comfort Sam as best as he could, 'whoever it was, they certainly did a number on your room, and do you know if they stole anything?'

'No, no I ... I haven't looked.'

Dean gasped as his eyes flickered open, he tried to breath, but something squeezed his breath out of his lungs.

'Dean?' Sam whispered leaning closer to his brother, 'please stay with me Dean.' He begged as he watched Dean's eyes roll back and his head loll to the side, 'Dean!'

Sam screamed frantically, 'please Dean wake up, please!'

The sound of sirens grew louder as the medics and police arrived, but Sam never heard them, a buzzing sounded in his ears and his vision blurred, all he could concentrate on was Dean.

Hands tried to dislodge him from his brother's side, but he cried out and clung even tighter to Dean's hand, refusing to look up at the new intruders, the buzzing grew louder until he heard nothing else. He watched them with blurred vision as they worked on stabilising Dean, putting dressing on the bullet wound and head wound, an oxygen mask over his face, the blood pressure cuff around his arm. It all seemed so surreal to Sam as they carefully lifted Dean onto the stretcher ready to take him to hospital. As Sam stood, the world seemed to spin around him, he could hear someone call his name, but the buzzing drowned it out. Blood started to drip from his nose, as his knees buckled under him and he slumped to the ground, blood now dripped from both of his ears and his nose. He felt the hands on him now, but he didn't want them touching him, they had to help Dean. Why weren't they helping Dean?

Slowly he let his eyes flicker open, he had to find out why they weren't helping Dean. Sam lay on a gurney in a curtained cubicle, a blood pressure cuff around his arm and an oxygen mask on his face. Frustrated he pushed the mask off and pulled at the cuff until he freed himself. Groggily he stood and waited until the room stopped spinning around him and he lurched out of the cubicle. Flashes of another hospital came at him, and he felt his heart break even more, it was too soon. It can't be happening again.

'Where do you think you are going?' A stern looking woman with steely-grey hair and rimless glasses stood in front of him, a tiny bundle of energy and authority, she barred Sam's attempted escape, 'you just get back into that cubicle and wait there for the doctor.'

'I have to see my brother.' Sam snapped trying to push past her, 'I have to see him, where's Dean?' he demanded, 'Dean?' he bellowed desperately searching the surrounding rooms, 'where is he?' He snapped at the woman who had to run to keep up with his long strides.

'_If _you calm down, _and if_ you will sit in this wheelchair _I will_ take you to him.' She said evenly, the look she gave Sam dared him to defy her.

Sam opened his mouth to retort and then closed it again, giving into wearily, 'okay, okay but please I need to see Dean now.' He whispered, consciously using that wounded-puppy-dog-eye-look that used to get him his way when he was a child.

'Fine, but please Sam you're blood pressure is extremely high, you need to stay calm.'

Sam nodded and thankfully sank down into the wheelchair, he hadn't realised just how tired he was. 'Where is he?'

'In ICU, just down here.' The nurse said gently patting him on the shoulder as she pushed the chair, 'I'm Ruth Sunne, your nurse.' She added.

Sam absently picked at the plaster on his wrist and tried to shut out that buzzing sound, as it grew louder again. 'What is that?'

'What is what Sweety?' Ruth asked as she stopped pushing and went to crouch down in front of Sam.

'The buzzing sound,' Sam ground out covering his ears, 'it's deafening.'

'Honey I really do think I should get you back to your bed for the doctor to check you out.'

'No!' Sam cried emphatically, his face filled with horror, 'no you promised to take me to Dean, and, and please I have to see him.'

Ruth stared at him, and then smiled and nodded in agreement not wanting to upset her young patient any further. 'Okay but you have to promise to stay as calm as you can be alright.'

Sam nodded his head and stared at the door they paused in front of, 'now before we go any further I want you to promise me you will stay calm and not get overly upset when you see Dean.'

'Why? What's wrong with him?'

'Okay, first he had to have surgery to repair the damage done to his face, and to fix his leg where the bullet went through his thigh.'

'Yeah but there's something else what aren't you telling me Ruth?'

'Your brother ... stopped breathing during surgery Sam. The surgeon had to intubate him, and now he has a tube to help him breath ... he's in a ...'

'Oh God please don't tell me he's in a coma? Please not again!' Sam cried his face paling even more, his eyes wide and filled with something more than fear, even more than despair.

'Sam what do you mean not again?' Ruth asked frowning.

'Umm earlier this year we were in a car accident, our Dad died and Dean was in a coma ... he nearly died then.' Sam choked out, 'we were T-boned by a semi, I – I was driving so Dad and Dean bore the brunt of it.'

'Oh my God I am so sorry Sam,' Ruth breathed, 'how about we go in, maybe hearing your voice will help bring him back.'

All Sam could think about when he saw Dean was the other hospital room and the reaper after Dean's soul back then.


	3. Chapter 3

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks so much to pmsdevil01 for her help with my confusion over the birthdates, big hugs and thanks again, it helped a lot.

* * *

CHAPTER 3

Sam refused point blankly to leave Dean's side, to the point where his blood pressure started to rise dramatically. Within ten minutes the doctors had, Sam transferred into Dean's private room as long as he promised to stay in bed and to keep relatively calm while they finished the battery of tests they wanted to do, with his sudden spike in blood pressure and recurring headaches.

Stubbornly Sam tried to explain that there was nothing humanly wrong but in order to stay with Dean he had to relent to them poking, prodding, and pricking him with copious amounts of needles taking blood for this and that, or giving him new drugs to try to counteract the effects.

'Ya know Sammy if the wind changes your face will stay like that.' A weak voice came from the other bed, after the pathology tech had left with more vials of Sam's blood. It had been three days since they moved Sam in to Dean's room and the doctor's were starting to talk of possible brain damage if he didn't wake soon.

'Dean?' Sam asked incredulously.

'That's the name Sam.' Dean pushed the breathing apparatus away from his face and tried to sit up frustrated at his lack of mobility. 'What's going on Sammy? What happened?'

'Dean ... you've been in a coma for nearly five days and you're asking me what happened?'

'Another coma? Wait this time ... no reaper?'

'Don't think so, but your face was all smashed up and someone shot you in the leg.'

'Damn it, Sam what about you?'

'I'm fine Dean,' Sam said as he slowly pulled himself up until he sat on the edge of the bed and glanced over at his brother, 'hey dude you slept through your birthday.'

'Hang on, no changing the subject Sam, are you alright? Why are you all attached to that bed?'

'Nothing, just the only way I could stay in here with you.' Sam tried to fob his brother's questions off, 'anyway I should call the nurses and let them know that you're awake.'

'Sam tell me exactly what happened now.' Dean demanded, 'or I swear I am gonna get outta this bed and come over an' shake it outta you.'

'Alright sheesh Dean, basically I don't know exactly what happened,' sighing Sam ran his free hand through his hair and avoided looking at Dean's penetrating gaze.

'I'm waiting Sam.'

'I was sitting outside having a coffee and watching the sunrise while you slept I couldn't ...'

'Nightmare?'

'Yeah, anyway I got a nose bleed,' Sam turned a baleful stare to Dean silencing his older brother's questions immediately, 'I remember feeling really tired and dizzy, you were still asleep so I went into the bathroom to clean myself up but ...'

'But?'

'I don't remember Dean, somehow I lost an hour when I came out of it, I went to find you and that's when ... when I saw that the room had been ransacked and there was blood everywhere, I couldn't find you but I followed the blood trail and found you lying in your own blood facedown on the ground near the impala.' Sam heaved a deep breath and waited for his brother to say something.

'You, you blacked out? But didn't collapse or anything?'

'No I told you Dean, one minute I was standing at the basin waiting for the nose bleed to stop and then it was an hour later and I was still standing there, I don't remember anything at all.'

'Was anything taken?'

'No, not that I'm aware of...the computer and weapons are alright.'

'Well that's one thing I guess.'

'So Dean what do you remember?'

'Sleeping, then I remember hearing a banging noise and thought it was you trying to wake me up, then fuck man nothing, it's all a complete blank.'

'So I thought I heard voices and I see that our sleeper is awake,' Ruth came in and smiled brightly down at the two brothers, 'I guess having you in here did do the trick Sam.'

'Yeah thanks Ruth,' Sam smiled sweetly up at the nurse, 'but he's been cranky like you wouldn't believe.'

'Oh have we? Well Mr Winchester let's have a look at you.' Ruth said as she hit the page button for the Doctor, with silent efficiency she quickly took Dean's vitals and checked all of his monitors before the doctor appeared.

'Well, well now we have two of you to argue with,' a friendly looking man with silver hair cut stylishly short, dressed in a white lab coat and designer trousers with a lavender silk shirt a matching tie. 'I am Doctor Weir, and you young man have had a lot of people worried for you. One in particular, he is quite stubborn when he wants to be.'

'That's my boy,' Dean whispered, 'so doc when I can get outta here?'

'Well for someone who was on death's doorstep, stopped breathing during surgery, and has been in a coma for the last few days you're remarkably chipper. However, I do want to do some tests first just to make sure everything is alright.'

'But Doc...'

'No buts Dean, you have been seriously ill, you're still in intensive care despite waking up so aware.'

'Hey Sammy help me out here okay...Sam?' Dean tried to peer past the doctor at his brother, 'why isn't he answering me?'

Doctor Weir turned abruptly and stared down at his other young patient, Sam sat too still with his head down, blood trickled down his face and throat staining the blue hospital gown. 'Sam?' the doctor touched the younger man's arm and when he didn't respond the doctor moved closer to him; carefully he lowered Sam back onto the bed and tried to get him responding. Propped up against the pillows Sam's shoulder's slumped as his head lolled to one side, his green eyes open but glassy and unfocused, the pupils remaining fixed when the doctor shone his little flashlight into them.

Frowning he quickly wrapped the cuff around Sam's upper arm and checked his blood pressure, 'damn it.' He muttered under his breath.

'Doc what's going on? What's happening?' Dean called frantically from the other bed, desperate to see Sam he pulled out his IV and tried to climb out of bed. His injured leg giving way under his weight sending him crashing to the floor.

'What the hell do you think that you're doing?' the doctor demanded, 'Ruth can you help Dean back into his bed, restrain him if necessary?'

'Just tell me what's wrong with Sam?' Dean demanded, anger dripping from each word.

The doctor felt a slight tug on his sleeve and turned to see Sam staring up at him, fear filling the normally bright green eyes, 'Sam?'

'What happened? Why is Dean yelling?' Sam asked, his voice sounding hoarse as though he had a heavy cold.

'You blacked out Sam, do you remember what happened?' the doctor asked his tone softening with the fragile looking young man.

'I ah, was talking to Dean, he woke from his coma...' Sam looked up at the doctor with a hopeful expression, 'Ruth came in and then you...Sam shook his head and frowned as the headache intensified. 'I don't remember much after that.'

'You zoned out completely Sam, just like before.' Dean said as he pushed away Ruth's hands, 'get away from me with that woman!'

'If you don't let me do this I can always get the old fashioned thermometer and give it to you where the sun don't shine.'

'You wouldn't!'

'Push me Mr Winchester,' Ruth smiled at him as she hovered with the electronic thermometer, 'which is it?'

'Alright, do it if you have to,' Dean mumbled crossing his arms as she poked the end of the thermometer into his ear, a tiny beep sounding when the reading completed.

'Hmm,' Ruth put it down and then checked her patient's blood pressure, making another hmm, noise she checked the bandages and dressings on the worst of his wounds and then replaced the oxygen mask with a nasal cannula again. 'Alright Mr Winchester I need you to breath deeply for me, your blood oxygen stats have dropped a little, so breath Honey.'

'Is your brother always this grouchy?' Ruth asked Sam as she watched Dean breath deeply a few times.

'Only when he can't get his own way,' Sam said wheezing slightly, 'so Doc when can I get out of here?'

'You two boys certainly don't like hospitals do you?'

'No' Sam and Dean said in unison.

'The last of your blood tests will be back tomorrow morning, we'll talk then and as for your brother, if he behaves himself then I will consider his release in a few days.' Doctor Weir said, 'Ruth can I see you outside for a moment please?'

The medics left Sam and Dean alone finally in their small private room, slowly Sam rolled over to face his older brother. 'You okay Dean?'

'Yeah fine, but what about you Sammy? You look like death warmed up.'

'You don't look so good yourself you know.'

'Ah but I didn't just zone out did I?'

'Dean – I ah.'

'What is it Sam?'

'I remember something this time about blacking out,' Sam shifted his gaze to the blank TV screen above their beds.

'What come on dude don't make me come over there and make you tell me.'

'I wasn't ... I saw a house and stares and I was there dressed in weird clothes and I could hear you yelling for me downstairs.' Sam started his voice fading as he spoke, 'it was like a waking dream...' when he suddenly fell silent Dean panicked and sat up to watch his brother. Sam's breathing eased as the gentle rhythm of sleep took over without warning, exhaustion winning the battle of wills. Dean smiled and watched Sam until he too fell into a deep sleep.

_'The ring, find the ring.'_ A voice wove its way through Dean's dream, _'before Sam does you have to find the ring.'_

_TBC _


	4. Chapter 4

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

CHAPTER 4

_'Chambre de la Mort'_

_Winchester's House_

_Dresden, Kansas_

_26th January 1878_

_'Dean?' Samuel called out running down the stairs, the buzzing in his ears grew into a crescendo of noise, he woke with a fright, but this time it was no nightmare that had ever had before._

_His brother's chamber was empty, the bed untouched most likely he had stayed with one of his many paramours the previous evening, but even that thought didn't alleviate Samuel's fear. 'Dean where are you?'_

_'Stop bellowing Samuel I am right here.' Dean limped towards his frantic brother, looking dishevelled, with his silk shirt untucked and ripped blood trickled from a long thin cut down one arm and his face bore the marks of someone's fingernails._

_'Dean thank God...what happened to you?'_

_'I am really not sure Dear One but do not worry for me what about you?' Dean gave his brother a lopsided grin and headed towards the parlour he needed a drink._

_'Dean it is barely gone dawn it is too early for alcohol'_

_'Medicinal purposes Dear Heart, now tell your brother what has got you so riled on this beautiful winter's morning.'_

_'I had a strange dream, when I woke I had another nose bleed, but it is the buzzing sound that ... stop changing the subject Dean were you attacked last night?'_

_'No, at least I don't think so.'_

_'Stop being obtuse Dean Jonathon and tell me what happened.' Samuel demanded gracefully sinking down on a couch opposite his brother, folding his long legs in the process to enable him to sit forward and stare intently at Dean._

_'You can just stop that look Samuel,' Dean grumbled sipping his whiskey, 'I don't really remember what happened if you must know.'_

_'Go on.' Samuel urged, ignoring the tendrils of a headache snaking through his mind._

_'I had a rendezvous with Rose Aberden; I was on my way there when ... I woke up in an alley this morning like this.' Dean sniffed disdainfully at his regarded the damage done to his evening clothes._

_'You must have been...' Samuel blinked and turned a pain-filled stare to his elder sibling, 'Dean?' He gasped as blood trickled from his nose and ears, 'Dean what?'_

_'Jonas!' Dean bellowed jumping up he only just managed to catch Samuel as he toppled forward._

_'Ya'll called me?' Jonas asked as he shuffled into the parlour, 'I was jus' gettin' breakfa...what happened to Samuel?'_

_'Send the boy for the Doctor; quickly Jonas Samuel is extremely ill.' Dean ordered the elderly man before returning his attention to his younger brother cradled against his chest, his own injuries long forgotten. A warmth on his hand made Dean blink and stare down in horror, the green gem of his new ring glowed brightly and emitted a warmth that ran through his hand. His fear for his brother suddenly turned into anger and he started to push him away, feeling disgusted with his touch._

_'Dean?' Samuel whispered, his faint voice breaking through Dean's stupor and he pulled his brother even closer, the ring flared brightly once more and then dulled._

Cabin 12

Plains Cabin Motel

Dresden, Kansas

2nd February 2006

Sam helped Dean into the cabin and then he spread salt across the doorway and windows before he too sat down wearily, 'welcome home Dean.' He grinned weakly.

'Sam how are you feeling? I mean you were very quiet on the way here.'

'Just tired I guess,' Sam said dismissively, 'anyway remember what the doctor said you have to rest for at least one more week, he still can't get over how quickly you recovered from your coma.'

'Yeah, yeah, just good strong genes,' Dean said trying to hide a smirk, 'anyway he said the same about you, speaking of which...'

'Dean please not now,' Sam put his hand up to silence his brother, 'anyway seeing you slept through your birthday, I thought that we could celebrate it today.'

'Dude kick a man when he's down will ya!' Dean complained mournfully, 'I just got outta hospital.'

'Nothing strenuous or anything like that,' Sam smiled but had a mischievous look in his eyes, 'ah coz we weren't allowed to leave the hospital I kinda asked Ruth to do something for me.'

'Oh God, Sam no she's not here with that freaking thermometer is she?' Dean stared around in mock horror.

'No but she did organise this,' Sam laughed at the look on Dean's face, 'happy birthday Dean.'

Sam carried a small cake over to the bed where he brother sat and placed it on the chest of drawers between the beds, two large candles shaped as the numbers two and eight sat in the thick chocolate icing. 'Make a wish Dean,' Sam said softly, his eyes shining with mixed emotions.

'Dude what's wrong? Are you getting another headache?' Dean cried out when he saw the strange sheen in Sam's eyes.

'Nope,' Sam sniffed and scrubbed at his face, 'blow out the candles and make a wish Dean.'

Dean closed his eyes for a second and then blew out the candles, enjoying the moment of normalcy in their so not normal lives. Sam handed Dean a present and then he went to busy himself making a pot of coffee to have with the cake.

Dean glanced at his brother's back as he escaped to the kitchenette and then down at the small gift in his hands, Sam never ceased to surprise him. Feeling like a little kid Dean ripped the paper off his gift and opened the box. Nestled against black satin was a silver key ring, with an Egyptian scarab charm on it, the charm was identical to the one he wore around his neck. He also found two rare Metallica tapes taped to the bottom of the box, Sam had thought of everything.

Sam waited for the coffee to finish brewing and took his blood pressure medication secreting it in his pocket, he didn't want Dean to worry so he hid the fact that had to take them until his blood pressure stabilised.

'Ah Sam what you doing in there grinding the beans one at a time?' Dean called breaking through Sam's reverie.

'Yeah, yeah keep your grey hair on.' Sam shot back as he finished their drinks and carried them back into the main room, 'gee Dean, maybe I should have gotten you a hair dye instead, those greys are certainly popping up all of the place.'

'Oh funny Sammy very funny.' Dean quipped, 'so we gonna have some cake or what?'

'Yeah cut it already but if you hit the bottom you are so not kissing me!'

A knock on the door startled the two brothers and they stared at each other for a second, Dean's hand glided to his glock lying next to him on the bed as Sam stood up his own gun comfortable in his good hand and went to the door.

Opening it a crack he recognised the smaller older man standing there, 'Jonas right?'

'I saw the two of you come back earlier and just wondered if you need anything?'

'Thanks Jonas, come on in,' Sam said deftly hiding his gun under his shirt, 'Dean this is Jonas he's the one who helped me when ...' Sam let his voice trail away not wanting to remember the other day.

Jonas stepped in and smiled down at the young man seated on the bed eating birthday cake, he felt himself staring at Dean for a few seconds too long, but he looked too much like another Dean he once knew.

'Take a picture, it lasts longer,' Dean grumbled suddenly paranoid that he had icing on his nose.

'Sorry didn't mean to interrupt anything,' Jonas said apologetically.

'Don't worry bout it, we're just having cake for Dean's birthday he kinda missed it in hospital.' Sam said smiling warmly, 'do you want to join us?'

'Thanks but I gotta get going, I was jus' wonderin' if you needed anything.' Jonas said noticing the salted door and windows, 'thanks again Sam, it's good to see you boys are alright.'

'Yeah ah thanks Dude,' Dean mumbled his mouth filled with the chocolate cake, 'I ah appreciate what you did the other day.'

'Like I said no problems at all, I'll see ya'll around.' Jonas said as he quickly escaped the cabin shutting the door behind him he heaved a sigh and went back to his own cabin across the way from the Winchester boys, it can't be a coincidence could it? Not after all of these years? What the hell is Samuel Winchester doing alive and well and still with his brother Dean? Why wasn't Dean wearing the ring? Where was it if they didn't have it?

'Dang it all, I didn't go through all of this only to find the two of them still alive and hunting.' He growled slamming his door closed, he stared at the young woman standing by the fireplace. 'Well, what now? I mean they are both there, and either they are immortals or we have true reincarnates on our hands.'

'And the ring?' She asked, sitting down on a large overstuffed armchair she crossed her legs and flicked her foot impatiently, 'Jonas the ring?'

'No sign of it,' he sighed sitting down on the other side of the fireplace warming his hands, 'we have to move quickly.'

'Well that is no brainer there Jonas is there? I mean this connection between the youngest and the original younger it is getting stronger isn't it.'

'Yes you know that, you saw him suffering the same nosebleeds and black outs, it must be hereditary or something.'

'So if they are not our originals and are indeed reincarnations then perhaps they are yet to receive the ring.'

'Augustine knew what he was doing passing the ring to the eldest?'

'Yes, even back with the originals the eldest is the more volatile of the two brothers, the more violent. The two youngest seem to be the sensitive gifted ones, it is rather interesting actually.'

'We are not here for a study in genetics, we are here to retrieve Augustine's ring,' Jonas snapped.

'Oh keep your hair on, I know that, but think about it Jonas, once we get the brothers to the house then the connections could...' she let her voice trail off, her eyes glinting with the thought of it.

'Mind on the job woman, we have to stop the Winchester brothers like we did back in 1878, we did it once and we will do it again.'

'I know but surely we can have some fun along the way can't we?' She asked smiling sweetly, 'they are just so delightfully gullible.'

'Well I must admit it was fun playing with their heads, and the youngest having that blackout so visibly like that perfect timing. We still have the drugs if we need them but somehow I don't think we will.'

'You do know what happened to the original youngest don't you...his blackouts eventually killed him.'

'Ah yes but that was a long time ago, obviously he is receiving medical care for the bleeds.'

'Hmm we shall see.' She smiled at the older man prettily, her blond hair glowing with highlights of red from the flames, her blue eyes sparkling, 'I do intend on messing with his mind a little though Jonas, I deserve it.'

'Jessica as long as you don't kill him and stick to the plan you can do what you like.'


	5. Chapter 5

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

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CHAPTER 5

Sam tossed in his sleep, flailing his arms across his face as he fought off an attacker only he could see. 'No Dean, please no more!' he cried out his voice ringing with terror.

Dean stirred and turned to look over at his brother, annoyed that he had been woken with yet another one of Sam's nightmares but then he heard Sam call his name out again and the fear in his voice. Carefully he sat up and reached over to touch Sam on his shoulder when the younger man screamed and sat up shaking and gazing around wildly. 'Please Dean no more, I can't…' Sam begged scooting across the bed away from Dean, holding his arm up protectively.

'Sammy, Dude come on wake up it's a dream,' Dean reached over and grabbed Sam's arm, visibly flinching when he saw the look on Sam's face when he touched him, Sam feared him. 'Sammy wakey, wakey Dude time to snap out of it,' Dean patted Sam's cheek gently keeping his gaze averted from the look in his brother's eyes.

'Dean?' Sam blinked and winced as a headache immediately hit him with full force, he felt the blood welling in his nose, 'Dean what's wrong?' he asked his voice nasal with the start of the latest nosebleed.

'Do, ah do you remember what you were dreaming?' Dean asked shaking his head and trying to rid himself of the image of Sam's fear.

'It was so weird Dean, it was like a flash of the past, a big house like a plantation house or something and, and you were there and carrying a cane with a dragon's head on the handle.' Sam paled and ran to the bathroom in search of toilet paper or tissues anything to staunch the flow of nosebleed. His head thumped unmercifully, trying to ease the aching he ran a shower and stood under the cascading scalding hot water, trying desperately to clear his thoughts and head.

'Sammy, you okay in there?' Dean called from the doorway, panic resounding in his voice.

'Yeah fine Dean, I'll be out in a minute,' Sam answered as he slid down the shower cubicle wall until he sat on the tiled floor pulling his long legs in tight to his chest Sam rocked himself as the water washed over his head mingling with the blood still dripping from his nose and now his ears.

Ten minutes later Dean strode over to the bathroom door and flung it open angrily wanting to know why Sam was avoiding him when he found his brother curled into a foetal position on the bottom of the shower, unconscious and bleeding. Swearing under his breath Dean hurried as fast as he could to the cubicle and turned the now cold-water spray off, squatting down awkwardly Dean reached out to check Sam's pulse and breathing. He was still alive Dean exhaled his held breath, but now he had a problem, a very long problem, getting his baby brother's lanky frame out of the narrow shower.

Normally it wouldn't worry him, but he still felt so weak himself it made him angry, 'dammit Sammy did you have to pick the shower to black out in?' he muttered sliding his hands in under Sam's arms he tried to get a good enough grip on the water slicked skin. Slowly he managed to pull the long slightly frail body out of the cubicle to lie flat on the floor. Resting against the wall Dean pulled Sam's head and shoulders onto his lap and sat there panting heavily, cradling his unconscious brother to him.

He gave Sam a cursory visual exam, he was even skinner than usual which says a lot. Even though Sam appeared skinny, he was all sinewy muscle but now, now, he looked small and frail even though he was so tall. 'What's wrong Sam, what is going on with you?'

'Dean?' Sam whispered faintly, stirring finally, 'Dean what?'

'I ah, not sure Sammy, you ah woke up from a nightmare, your nose started to bleed and so you ran in here and had a shower, then I found you curled up in the bottom of the shower unconscious and bleeding from your nose and ears. I dragged you out and well you're too big to drag anywhere else.'

'I blacked out?' Sam muttered wincing he sat up and realised that the only covering he had was a towel across his hips, he turned and arched an eyebrow at his brother.

'What? I couldn't reach anything else to cover you.' Dean replied flustered, 'anyway you were the one who chose the shower to do your shining thing in, aint my fault.'

Sam sat up and squeezed his eyes shut waiting for the room to stop spinning around him, his stomach flip-flopped and for a moment he thought that he was going to lose all remnants of his day's meal. 'Dean I ah, felt like I was in a different place, different time.' Sam slitted his eyes open and took in his brother's face, 'I am so pleased …' Sam stopped talking and sat back in terror, 'where am I? what is this place?'

'Sam what is it? What's happened now?' Dean snapped tersely he ached all over from just the exsertion of dragging Sam such a short distance, he wanted to go back and lie down but something in his brother's demeanour wasn't quite right.

'Sam, where are we supposed to be?'

'What kind of question is that Dean? Why we are in our house … we – we Dean where is Jonas? Did you send him to fetch the doctor?'

'Sam what year do you think it is?' Dean asked his eyes narrowing as his eye brows drew together, 'where exactly do you think you are?'

'Dean I have no idea of what you have been imbibing but this is ridiculous, it is 1878 and we are where we always are in our house.'

'Sam I hate to break this to you but this is 2006 and we are in our cabin, you just blacked out and fuck you must've hit your head.'

'Dean, language since when do you cuss like that?' Sam asked scrambling to his feet he clutched the towel and backed towards the door, 'I do not appreciate such humour when I am … indisposed.'

'Sam, dude I …'

'What is this Dude you are calling me?'

'It's a nickname, Sam that's all, okay I'm going to let you get dressed and I'll ah meet you in the other room.' Dean stood up and using the wall as a guide limped towards the door, 'don't lock it please, I haven't got the energy to break it down if you decide to black out again.'

Sam stood staring at Dean with an incredulous look, something about his stance and eyes made Dean shiver, with a slight shake of his head he limped out of the bathroom and left Sam to dress.

Sam sighed and rubbed at his eyes, he was so tired he could hardly keep his eyes open. Curiously he looked around the small room, everything seemed alien to him, no jug and bowl to watch with only a strange looking contraption with shiny silver taps that looked nothing like the ones they had in the kitchen. Shaking his head, he picked up the clothes and sniffed at them in distaste, no tailored, pressed pants and silk shirt, no vest or immaculately shining shoes, a scruffy pair of dungarees of some description and an undershirt?

Finally, he moved out into the other room he stood around and stared uncomprehendingly at the even more strange things in there. A box had images moving on it and voices but the only other person in the room was Dean. 'What is going on Dean?'

'Sorry you've lost me Sammy, talk to me tell me what happened to you.'

'I ah felt a headache and nosebleed coming on, so I went upstairs to find my medications, I decided to change my clothes because I had blood on them, I rang for Jonas to run me a bath and then…'

'Nothing until you woke up in the bathroom.' Dean's frown deepened as the realisation hit him. 'Oh fuck!'

* * *

_'Chambre de la Mort'_

_Winchester's House_

_Dresden, Kansas_

_2nd February 1878_

_Dean limped up the stairs his anger building with each step. Samuel had really done it now, at first Dean put it down to his brother's sickly constitution, the boy tended to fall ill in the blink of an eye, just too sensitive for his own good. But this time, this time he had gone too far. _

_'Samuel I am not going to tell you again…' Dean thundered as he burst into the room his voice fading when he found his brother lying naked and curled into a tight ball on the floor. 'Samuel what is it?' Awkwardly crouching down next to him he gently rolled Sam over onto his side and checked his pulse and breathing, 'ah at least you're alive,' he muttered taking in the dried blood on Sam's face and the trickle still oozing from his ears. 'Dear One what is happening to you?' Dean cried out cradling his brother's head on his lap, 'am I going to have to have you placed in the sanatorium for your own safety?' Dean looked down at the thin leather bracelet on Sam's wrist and then he noticed just how long and unkempt his hair looked._

_'Dean?' Sam moaned slitting his eyes open he focused on his brother's face, 'what happened?'_

_'You fainted again Samuel,' Dean said a little sharper than he intended; the ring on his finger scorched his skin when he moved his hand closer to Sam. 'What is going on with you?'_

_'I – I'm not sure, I ah have a headache.' Sam winced when he tried to sit up, his eyes still blurry and unfocused made him feel nauseas when he tried to look at anything._

_'This has got to stop Samuel; it is unseemly to say the least, what would have happened if someone else found you like this?'_

_'Like what Dean?'_

_'Naked, lying naked on the floor,' Dean glimpsed down at his brother's lithe frame, only know he looked gaunt and extremely thin. 'You have lost too much weight Samuel it does not become you.'_

_'Why are you calling me Samuel all of the time?' Sam muttered pulling himself up using the bed end, frowning he stared at the bed, he was in the bathroom having a shower now, now, he was in a strange bedroom with Dean acting even stranger._

_'It is your name what else am I supposed to call you?'_

_'Well what you usually call me Sam, not Sammy, just Sam.'_

_'Since when did you become so vulgar and common Samuel?' Dean asked as he used the cane to stand up, 'did you hit your head when you fell?'_

_'No, no Dean what year is this?' Sam asked swallowing down on the bitter bile rising in his throat as he looked around at the nineteenth century décor._

_'It is February 1878 as you very well know, keep acting like this Samuel and I will have to have you placed in the sanatorium for you own protection.'_

_'1878?' Sam repeated all colour drained from his face, 'oh fuck.'_

_'Samuel William Winchester you do not cuss in this house.' Dean snapped limping out of the bedroom, 'get dressed and I will meet you in the parlour we have much to discuss.'_

_'Samuel William Winchester?' Sam repeated confused, spinning around the room he felt his breathing quicken with a panic attack. He was in 1878, and he was with the other Dean Winchester._

_Fidgeting in the scratchy formal clothing Sam made his way downstairs and stood at the bottom trying to gain his bearings, 'I am not waiting all day Samuel,' Dean bellowed from the room to his right. Swallowing deeply Sam slowly made his way in that direction, nervously he rubbed his hands down his thighs trying to calm himself down._

_'I have told you before about your strange behaviour Samuel,' Dean growled from behind him. Whirling around Sam faced the older man, he still couldn't believe that Dean wasn't his Dean._

_'This certainly comes under strange behaviour I guess,' Sam said with a lopsided grin, instead of a well thought out barb in return Sam was met with a blow to the side of his head with the end of Dean's cane. 'Dean?' he cried out in shock._

_'I do not take pleasure in beating you Samuel but it is the only way I can beat this perversion from you, I have tried everything else all spells and trinkets I could think of nothing works. Why Samuel why do you push me like this?' Dean yelled with a maniacal look in his eyes he brought the cane down again this time striking the younger man across his lower back. Gasping in pain Sam dropped to his hands and knees trying to catch his breath, sharp pain shooting through his kidneys._

_'Dean please, this is wrong, it's not what you think.'_

_'I have to drive the demon from you Samuel it is the only way to save you.' Dean yelled, 'do not attempt to get up Samuel this is for you own good, trust me Dear One I would not do anything to you unless it is for your best.'_

_'Dean please don't…' Sam cried out bracing himself for the next blow, when it didn't come he lifted his head and stared confused up at Dean, 'what's wrong?' he asked not game to stand in case his brother became violent once more._

_'Nothing is wrong Samuel,' Dean said as he played with the glowing ring, 'remove your shirt for me Samuel.'_

_'What? Why?' Sam sat back on his legs and looked up at his brother a look of disbelief on his expressive face, 'what's wrong with you Dean?'_

_'Strip now, or I will do it for you.' Dean snarled tapping his ring finger on his chin as he waited for Sam to slide his shirt off his shoulders, Dean frowned as he stared at the collection of old and new scars laced over his brother's body, and then shaking his head he forced himself to be strong._

_'Tell me demon what did you do to my brother?' Dean asked as he brought his cane down on Sam's bare back._

_'Dean, argh, no, no I'm not possessed I promise.' Sam cried out, his body arching as another blow landed forcing him forward again._

_'Liar, now where is my brother?' Dean hissed striking his victim again his eyes glowing with an eerie green glow. 'Leave his body and begone son of satan.'_

_'Dean please it's me…it's Sam.' Sam whimpered trying to protect his more vulnerable body parts, another blow shuddered through his body and he felt the tempting tendrils of unconsciousness calling him. 'Dean it's me, I'm not possessed.'_

_'Liar.' Dean screamed again hitting Sam with such a force he snapped the cane, the welt splitting skin and muscle, drowning in a sea of pain and red haze Sam lifted his head and rolled his eyes to look up at his brother, 'please no more, it's me…it's Sammy…I'm not possessed.'_

_'Leave my brother alone,' Dean cried raising his fist to continue the beating when he saw himself reflected in Sam's eyes. Gasping for breath Dean started to gag as he fell away from Sam and yanked the ring from his finger, immediately the pressure and burning left him and he felt his stomach clenching tight. Horrified he stared down at his beaten and broken brother, 'Samuel what have I done?'_

_'Dean no more please, I'm not possessed I promise,' Sam whimpered his voice thick with tears._

_'Samuel I am so sorry I don't understand.' Dean looked at his bloodied hand and then at Sam's injuries, 'what did I do to you?'_

_Biting down on the pain and dizziness Sam managed to sit and stare at the older man, 'I – I don't know exactly what happened or why but Dean, although I am not the Samuel you know I am not possessed.'_

_'What is this?' Dean growled his anger building again._

_'Listen to me … I am Sam Winchester but I was born in 1983…I'm not sure exactly what happened but somehow I have changed places with your Samuel.'_

_'So if this is true…and I am not saying that it is…but if it is true then where is my brother?'_

_'In my time, the year 2006 and where I am twenty-three years old.' Sam said his voice slurring as the effects of his beating started to take over._

_'No that is not possible.' Dean cried out lurching away from where Sam sat, he had to get out and think, to clear his head, be anywhere than here with this stranger claiming to be a younger version of his brother from the future._

_TBC_


	6. Chapter 6

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

Author's note: I kinda got carried away writing this chapter, after researching 19th Century Asylums and the treatment of the insane, and ended up with twenty pages of writing. So I have broken it down into two and have both 6 and 7 written.

WHEW my arm is so numb I can't even feel my little finger and my shoulder looks like a basketball but hey no gain without pain! hehehehe

* * *

CHAPTER 6

Dean sat watching Sam sitting stiff backed on the kitchen chair, his posture and demeanour definitely is not his Sammy's. 'So, ah this is awkward.'

'Yes, yes it is ... Dean ... I am sorry it is just hard to think of you as my brother, for one you are at least ten years young than him.'

'I ah I'm twenty-nine, just turned in fact.' Dean replied rubbing the side of his face nervously.

'My brother just celebrated his birthday as well, his was on the twenty-fourth of the this month his thirty-ninth birthday actually.'

'Same day as mine exactly.' Dean looked up at the other Sam, 'so ah that would make you ...'

'Thirty-three years of age.'

'Uhhuh, and let me guess your birthday is what May fourth?'

'How did you? Oh that is your Sam's birthday?'

'Yeah, uh look I know that this is a very strange question but I am going to ask it anyway, did your mother die when you were a baby?'

'Yes, she was killed in a fire when I was only six-months old.' The other Sam stared at him, 'is that how your ...?'

'Yes, yeah ah my Dad found her on the ceiling above Sammy's cot, he managed to grab him and give him to me to get out but he couldn't save her...'

'I am sorry Dean; truly, this is so strange. How can this be happening?'

_'Chambre de la Mort'_

_Winchester's House_

_Dresden, Kansas_

_Sam sat silently watching an older version of Dean pace the floor, he was still seated on the floor not sure of what he should be doing, worried that if he moved he may set off another attack. He could still taste the blood coating his throat as it trickled down. His back hurt so much he could hardly breath and the pain in his kidneys was becoming more unbearable with each passing moment._

_'Dean?' He finally asked, 'are you?'_

_'What Samuel? What are you still doing sitting there like that?' Dean snapped blinking down at Sam he had forgotten that he was still sitting there._

_'I ah need some help.' Sam muttered hating to have to rely on this strange and overly violent Dean._

_Heaving a sigh of annoyance Dean held out his hand and started to help Sam up when the ring made contact with Sam's skin. Suddenly it started to glow green again. A cold and vacuous look came over Dean's face. Shuddering Sam dropped his hand breaking contact and staggered against the wall, managing to slide himself upwards until he stood leaning heavily against a side-board he watched Dean pacing like a caged predator ready to strike as soon as the door opened._

_'Dean, I need to go clean up.' Sam said as he lurched towards the door, 'I'm going to go back to my room.'_

_'Whatever you wish Dear One.' Dean answered distractedly. His thoughts jumbled in his mind even more. The walk earlier had helped to clear a small amount of his anger until he returned home to find Samuel still lying there, looking bruised, battered, and completely pathetic. His temper exploded in his head into a cloud of white rage. The ring burnt deep into his finger, becoming part of the structure of the digit. The dragon continuously glowed green now whenever it was in close proximity to Samuel. The violence arriving when the ring made contact with the youngest Winchester's skin._

_Perhaps he had better make the arrangements for Samuel to be transferred to the Sanatorium before nightfall after all - For both of their sakes._

_Sam dropped wearily onto the soft bed and stared around the room dejectedly, thoughts of his Dean in his time, with the other Sam made him feel even more uneasy. How did it happen and how was he going to get home again? But most of all how does he prevent Dean from beating him to death before he manages to figure it out._

_1878, the thought of being trapped in the past sent shivers down Sam's spine, no mobiles, no landlines, no Internet hell even no computers. This was going to get weird fast._

_Carefully he tried to stand but the pain in his back and kidneys immobilised him immediately, taking deep breaths Sam tried to sit back instead and lift his legs onto the bed, nothing seemed to relieve the painful spots._

_'Samuel your brother told me that you are indisposed, is there anything I can do for you?'_

_Sam stared in shock at the man entering the room, 'I know who you are.' Sam whispered his breath catching deep in his throat._

_'Yes, you have known me all of your life Samuel, what is wrong?'_

_'No, no I met you for the first time when my brother Dean was attacked a few weeks ago, you – you're staying in the cabin opposite us.'_

_'Did you strike your head when you fell down the stairs?'_

_'Fell down the stairs?' Sam blinked and stared at Jonas confused, 'who told you that I fell down the stairs?'_

_'Dean, he explained that you had one of your dizzy spells and collapsed, falling down the stairs.'_

_'Oh, so how do you explain these?' Sam turned around enough to show Jonas his back, paling even more he lay back down on the pillow and shut his eyes for a moment until the room stopped spinning. 'Dean beat me with his cane so hard he snapped it.' Sam spat out angrily._

_'Dean did this?'_

_'Who else would/ Yes Dean did this.' Sam bit his tongue when he saw the dark look forming on Jonas' face. 'What's wrong?'_

_'Was Dean wearing the ring?'_

_'His dragon ring?'_

_'Yes that's the one, was he wearing it?'_

_'Yes I think he was.'_

_'Very well, rest Samuel and I will go fetch some ointments and your medications.'_

_'My what?'_

_'Your medications ... are you sure that you did not hit your head when you fell?'_

_'Positive.'_

_'Alright then, I shall return in minutes.'_

_'Thanks Jonas.'_

_'It is my job Samuel, just my job.'_

_A tentative knock at the door brought Sam out of his partial slumber; wearily he lifted his head and watched Dean walk in carrying a tray with a teapot and two cups. 'I thought that you might like some tea to help soothe you.' Dean said placing the tray on the bedside drawers. _

_'Ah thanks I think where is Jonas?'_

_'He will be with you shortly,' Dean said smiling, 'I do wish to apologise again Samuel I honestly do not know what came over me to strike you like that.'_

_'I'm fine honestly.' Sam said avoiding Dean's direct stare he picked up a cup of the steaming hot tea and took a sip, grimacing straight away, 'this is awfully bitter.'_

_'Just one of Flora's herbal concoctions, she said it should have you up and about in no time.'_

_'Oh, okay,' Sam took a longer sip and kept his gaze away from Dean's steady one. _

_'Don't be a baby Samuel, drink it down; Flora said that it would not work if you do not drink all of it.'_

_Sam glanced at Dean and then in two mouthfuls finished off the cup of bitter herb tea, the last mouthful making him gag. _

_'Take it like a man Samuel.' Dean snarled as he took the cup and stood back to watch Sam. _

_Sam's eyes grew wide as he felt a strange sensation creeping over him, it felt like he was covered in spider webs, he gasped for breathes as his lungs screamed for fresh air. 'Dean ... what did ...?'_

_'This is for your own good Samuel.' Dean smirked as he watched the drug take effect on his brother. 'The herbs are an old ... mix Flora did especially for me, after I indulged one of her own little fantasies last night.' Dean explained as Sam's eyes started to glaze over, his limbs freezing in their positions, 'you can still hear me can't you, oh yes I see the terror lingering. You will still be able to see and hear for now but that will soon pass and by the time you wake up ... well let us just say that you will be in a better place.'_

_'Why?' Hissed out of Sam's frozen mouth, 'Dean?'_

_'You have had a turn for the worse, all of your talk of being from the future, honestly I did think it was a demon, perhaps the demon but now, now I believe that it is your own mind deceiving yourself, I am sorry that it had to end like this but I know of no other way.'_

_Dean nodded to two strangers lurking just outside the door carrying a canvas stretcher, 'please be careful with him he is my brother after all.' Dean said stifling a yawn._

_As the two men lifted Sam's paralysed body onto the stretcher, Dean looked down and saw the fear and confusion in Sam's sea-green eyes. His resolve slipped a fraction but he stopped that when he saw the damage he had inflicted on his sick brother. No, this is the best for both of them._

_'Good bye Dear One.' Dean said brushing a kiss on his brother's forehead before signalling the two men to take Sam away._

Sam sat down suddenly his knees gave way and he managed to sit back onto his chair without too many problems. His face pale and breathes sharp, 'Dean? What have you done?' he gasped aloud.

'What are you? What's happening to you?' Dean cried out when he saw the other Sam fading slightly before becoming corporeal again.

'Something is wrong, back in my time ... something has happened to your Sam.' Came the curt reply. 'Feel like I'm being smothered ...'

'Samuel stay with me here, we need to walk out what is going on and I can't have you fading out on me before we do.'

'I do not understand any of this Dean, why is it me and your Sam changing places why not you and my Dean?'

'I have a feeling that it is to do with your psychic abilities, both of you have them.'

'Our psychic abilities? I do not understand?'

'Do you get visions, premonitions of things that are going to happen before the actually do?'

'Yes, but the doctors said it is a mild infliction and they gave me laudanum to control them.'

'Samuel it is not an infliction as such, believe me it is much more ... okay here psychics are still considered strange almost freakish but nothing that requires medication.'

'The headaches are real as are the blackouts and nosebleeds.'

'Yeah my Sammy suffers those to at times if the vision is really intense but that still doesn't mean that you're crazy or inflicted by any mental condition.'

'Dean – my Dean he used to threaten to place me in a sanatorium if I kept telling him of my visions. And yet he was willing to accept ghosts and other evil apparitions.'

'Always harder when it is family.' Dean said shocking himself with words that sound more like Sam's than his.

'Dean, I – I am sorry ... ah so ... cold ... hurts,' the other Sammy crashed to the floor and crawled backwards in a crablike fashion until he hit the wall, his eyes wide with fear and confusion, 'Dean is that you?'

'Sammy?' Dean exhaled deeply as he saw the imperceptible changes to his brother, 'you're my Sammy?'

'Dean ... oh god Dean help me I can't do this... hurts so much ... why am I here?'

'Dammit, Sammy listen to me you're back in your own time, do you hear me your back here with me.' Dean gripped Sam's shoulders tightly and tried to get him to focus but Sam's gaze became fixed on a place just behind Dean, his eyes widening even further, 'no, no please no more, no more ... Dean help me please.' Sam cried out as he started to dissipate in Dean's grip.

'Dean you are hurting me.' The slightly older Sam's voice broke through Dean's shock and he fell backwards unable to stifle the sob rising in his chest.

'What the fuck is going on here?' Dean demanded, 'what happened to my Sam? He was just here ... but he wasn't.'

'I – I'm not sure I felt a pulling and darkness and then he and I were the same ... or rather the two of us were in his body.'

'This is seriously fucked up Sam.'

'Samuel please, Sam makes me feel like a chubby twelve year old again.'

Dean laughed then, a broken shock filled laugh, 'my Sammy, Sam says that when I call him Sammy. It was his childhood nickname, he was fine with it until he turned twelve and declared that he was too old to be called Sammy.'

'I know exactly how it feels,' the other Sam said with a wry grin, 'I hate it when Dean, my Dean calls me Sam.'

'So ah Samuel can you tell me anything about when the two of you were in his body?'

'I remember cold, he was shivering ... dark room ... no windows ... damp stone floor...' Samuel's eyes misted as the shared memory came back hauntingly real, 'chained to ... chained to the floor ... confused, so confused ... his mind foggy ... drugged.' Samuel stopped speaking as the realisation hit him, 'Dean, my Dean he must have lost it completely when you're Sam would have started talking about this time, he went through with his threat.'

'You mean to say that he has my Sammy in a lunatic asylum?'

'Actually the one closest to Dresden is a Sanatorium for the mentally disturbed, it is not one of those state run horror hospitals.'

'They have him drugged and chained to a floor how much more horror do you need?'

'I assure you Dean it is not like that, at least that is what my Dean promised me. He said it had sprawling gardens and many places to go to rest and recuperate and doctors there to help me get better.'

'Dude I hate to break it to you but there is nothing to make better, it's a part of who you are.'

'And your Sam he has these visions too?'

Yeah ... and when he does get them, we help the people in them; he saved a lot of lives. Fuck he's even saved mine because of them.'

'And you don't see it as a symptom of lunacy? I mean they are nothing more than hallucinations according to the doctors, the headaches, nosebleeds and blackouts are all symptomatic of a serious condition.'

'The only condition you have is an ass of a brother, who should be looking out for you instead of committing you.'

'That is the strangest thing Dean, until recently my Dean did just that, ever since we were children it was just us and Jonas...'

'Jonas?' Dean froze when he heard the name, 'tell me about Jonas.'

Samuel frowned but complied with Dean's request and gave him a cursory description of the man who helped raised him. 'He was often more like our own father than Father was. What's wrong Dean?'

'There is a Jonas here, exactly how you described him, he – he was lurking around when he we got here and was there supposedly to help Dean when I got hurt ... he turned up the day I got outta hospital.'

'But that is impossible, Jonas was already an old man in 1878, that would make him over two hundred years old.'

'Let's back up for a second, you were telling me something aobut your Dean.'

'Why yes it was a ring he received in an anonymously sent parcel, when he puts it on he is a different person.'

Dean got up and went over to the copy of the picture and article, 'Samuel this portrait it says was done for Dean's fortieth birthday ... check out the ring.'

'Yes that is it, that is the one I am talking about ... Dean it says here that shortly after the portrait was painted and after my Dean's birthday we disappeared.'

'I know, that is now less than a year away Samuel, something really hokey is going on here and it is freaking creepy.'

'I don't recognise the name of the artist ... and I knew most of the local ones.' Samuel said as he studied the portrait. 'It is so lifelike.'

'Yeah weird huh ... could have been a photo not a painting.'

'A photo?'

'Yeah a picture taken by a small machine thingy ... anyway what we have to do is to get Sam out of that place and back here and for you to return back to your Dean and stop him from doing what he's about to do.'

'Why ... what's wrong Dean?'

'Look at the article the dates have changed; now the two of you disappear shortly after Dean's thirty-ninth birthday. Which has been and gone.'

'So the time-frame has changed ... which means your brother Sam may be lost in the asylum somewhere and Dean, my Dean vanishes?'

'Looks like it, neither of you are seen again.'


	7. Chapter 7

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

Author's note: and here is the next 10 pages or more commonly referred to Chapter 7!!, oh btw this chapter is completely Sam's experiences in 1878 so I didn't worry about using Italics to differentiate between the two time periods.

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CHAPTER 7

Daimonledge Asylum for the insane

Dresden Kansas

February 1878

Sam shivered violently and desperately tried to stay awake, his head pounded and an acrid taste filled his senses making him gag and want to vomit.

They finally freed him from the straightjacket but had chained him to the cuffs attached to a short chain fastened to the floor of the tiny cell. The basement cells they said were for the most violent patients and until he could restrain from fighting every guard and supervisor he will have to remain there. Periodically they came into the cell, forcing foul-tasting liquids down his throat in order for him to vomit his foulness out, other times they gave him sickly-sweet concoctions that made him feel light-headed and clouded his mind. The heavy door swung open and the sudden bright light of their lamps blinded Sam, the keepers seeing his distress and obvious incapacity the viciously grabbed his arms and once again bound him tightly in the stained straight-jacket, yellowing with decay and overuse. Struggling with the remnants of his waning strength did nothing but weaken himself to the point of exhaustion.

'Keep ya self quiet or we'll do it for ya.' One of the keepers said cuffing the back of Sam's head. Immediately making his dizziness worse, until he saw not two but four sentinels in his room. Sentinels, keepers, guards whatever they were Sam instinctively started to fear them.

Brutish and uneducated, often recruited from the penal system the men had no compassion for the inmates or any of the necessary medical training to deal with the various forms of insanity they came into contact with.

The guard, who had just struck Sam, held him in a tight grip with his arm firmly circling his neck while the other one unlocked the fetters attached to the chain.

'Time to get cleaned up Winchester,' was the only words spoken directly to him as Sam was dragged from the dark cell. Dizzy and nauseous he vaguely made out the various hallways they half-dragged, half-carried him through to where the bathing area was. Suddenly he jerked backwards and tried to break-free from the iron-like grips of his keepers. He knew what lurked behind that heavy door and panic set in within seconds.

'Grab the kid and hold him this time,' one growled as he unlocked the door.

'No!' Sam screamed and pushed backwards as hard as he could locking his knees in the process.

'Quit it Winchester and get in there,' came the order as a large fist engulfed Sam's vision and he felt the impact on his nose immediately as the blood started to stream down his face, sliding silkily past his lips and down his throat coating it thickly making him choke.

'Every time we have to bring this idiot, every fucking time, I tell ya Elias I am getting tired of this.'

'Yep I agrees with ya Bill but we do what we're told an' nothin' more,' Elias agreed as he hit Sam again, this time rendering the young man unconscious.

'Doc is gonna be mad when he sees the kid.' Bill mused as they quickly removed the straightjacket and the rest of Sam's clothing. 'The new bruise is already up.'

'Ah well he fell didn't he.' Elias grinned as they fastened the restraints to Sam's wrists and ankles, 'awkward kid, too long in the leg and fell over his own feet.'

'Ha now that's funny, watch it Elias he's comin' too.' Bill inclined his head to their charge as Sam started to moan and slowly open his eyes. 'Get the gag on him now afore Doc comes in.'

Elias picked up the leather strap with a special attachment in the middle of it, with expert fingers he placed the metal attachment between Sam's teeth and then tied the ends tightly at the nape of his neck. 'Can't have ya biting ya tongue now can we?' he chuckled cuffing the side of Sam's head once more as he left him and went to stand next to Bill waiting for the Doc to arrive.

'One thing I will gives him Bill the kid is well-endowed.'

'Ya bit of a shame that he's gone in the head aint it, could be worth some fun.'

'Well who's to say that we still can't have a bit of fun with him? He aint gonna tell anyone an' if he does no one will believe him.'

'True, very true Elias, I suppose that Doc'll ruin our plans true enough.'

'Yeah well we'll see what 'appens especial with this treatment.' Elias grinned then elbowed his friend to be quiet when he saw the Doc come in.

'So how is our patient today?' Doctor Eugene Cross asked standing over Sam he gave the young man a cursory visual exam, 'where did he get the new bruises from?'

'Poor kid, tripped over his own feet when we brought him down, fell straight on his face before we could stop him.' Elias said keeping his tone sounding neutral almost bored.

'Uhhuh and the floor is the same shape as a fist is it?' Doctor Cross asked glaring at the two guards. At the age of thirty-two and still idealistic in his approach to treating the insane he barely tolerated the barbaric conditions in the institution. But unfortunately he is only a junior doctor and therefore had no say in how the treatment were given or the so-called keepers handling of the unfortunates. His heart went out to ones like this poor young man especially. Obviously, he was in a healthy condition when he arrived at Daimonledge, hallucinating and delirious with episodes of manic depression and violence but Doctor Cross was positive that with the correct care young Master Samuel Winchester would recover greatly. Now he had obviously lost weight, suffered fevers, night-terrors and abuse at the hands of his sadistic keepers. The worst though was that he was quite lucid when he first arrived, communicative, and as long as he was not challenged quite placid. He saw a sensitive intelligent soul in the sea-green eyes replaced by a dull and fearful one.

'Let's get this done,' he sighed breaking himself out of his reverie, he glanced down at Sam and saw the absolute terror shining beneath unshed tears. 'I am sorry Samuel this is not my idea.'

Stifling a giggle Elias cranked the canvas holdall up until it hovered over the bath and then letting the lever go let it plunge into the ice water. Sam screamed against the gag as the shock of the iced water hit his already abused body and shredded nerves, writhing in agony he closed his eyes and felt himself float away again. He saw Dean's face hovering above him, calling him back, and telling him that it was all going to be alright.

Gasping for air through the unforgiving leather gag, Sam's eyes flew open as he felt himself lifted out of the water; dejectedly he braced himself for the next plunging. Within seconds, the ice hit his sensitive and reddened skin.

Unaware of time now, he existed only in his mind, his body forgotten in the numbness encasing it. He kept his gaze fixed on Dean's face and strained to hear the faint words of hope and encouragement. Dean will come and rescue him, he had to, it was his job to protect Sam no matter what.

He felt rough hands rubbing his body with coarse material, strange hands groping him, fingers sliding across his tingling flesh, no this was wrong but he was in darkness, restrained and unable to stop the molestation. He cried out against the gag and received a blinding slap on his face. Breathing frantically through his nose, he felt a suffocating blackness on his face, the material clinging to his skin like a spider's web.

'Hurry Elias that Doc is on his way back,' Sam heard the words muffled through the black cloth, suddenly the hood was yanked off his head, and the gag removed. Hyperventilating he struggled for each precious gulp of fresh air and stared up at his abuser with confused eyes.

'Say anythin' to the Doc there an' ya'll be regrettin' it, got me,' Elias whispered his acrid breath choking Sam as he leant closer to his ear, 'an' that's just a taste of what's ta come later.'

'Elias bring Samuel to the office and make sure that he is presentable, he has a visitor.' Doctor Eugene Cross sighed rubbing his hands across his eyes, another despicable practice, making the families think that the patients are receiving the best of care money could buy. And pay for it they did, no questions asked.

Sam shuffled slowly between Elias and Bill, desperately trying to think of a way to convince the other Dean to let him come home, to sign his release from here before Elias could...

After Elias pushed Sam backwards into a comfortable chair the straightjacket was removed and replaced with wrist fetters, a heavy blanket placed over his knees effectively covered the restraints. 'Now ya'll be a good boy an' behave whiles ya brother's 'ere, not a word 'member.'

Sam nodded mutely afraid to lift his chin and look at Elias in the eyes, his unkempt hair fell and effectively hid his gaze from everyone. Elias glared at Sam one last time and then went to stand just outside the door leading to the wards. A few minutes later, Dean Winchester entered the room with Doctor Cross and another older Doctor, Doctor Perry Graves who went to sit at the heavy and ornate oak desk, Cross sat on a solid wooden chair by the window and to the back of the elder doctor. Dean went to sit in the chair next to Sam's.

'You can talk to your brother Mister Winchester,' Doctor Cross prompted gently, earning a look of reprimand from his superior.

Dean turned to look at his younger brother, visibly shaken at the state he was in. His hair now longer than ever, unkempt, and lank covered his eyes hiding the dullness and lifelessness. His cheeks appeared sunken enhancing the obvious amount of weight Sam had lost since his committal. A purplish bruise forming on face made Dean turn and glare at the two so-called professionals. 'What is this bruise?'

'Apparently he ah tripped and fell face forward onto the floor earlier today, his ah keeper's were unable to stop him from falling.' Doctor Cross said hesitantly unable to meet the steady gaze from Sam's older brother.

'I see, and why does he look so thin and feverish?'

'Your brother did contract a slight infection which did incapacitate him for a few days.' Perry Graves finally spoke, his very tone sounding dismissive and uncaring, 'he was extremely thin when you had him committed Mister Winchester.'

'Yes but he was not ... not gaunt.' Dean replied indignantly, 'Samuel can you look at me?' he asked gently touching his brother's arm. Shock registering when he saw his brother's flinch and then to push himself further into the chair afraid to look at him, or let him near.

'What is wrong with my brother?' Dean demanded, lowering his voice when he heard Sam whimper, 'what have you done to him?'

'Your brother is well on his way to a full recovery.' Graves snapped angry at the arrogance of the elder Winchester, 'of course when he first came to Daimonledge he was very violent and abusive towards our staff and other patients. He had to be subdued and separated from the others for both his and their own safety. We did have to use rather strong medications to begin with but now he is on a regime that is working. He is much more co-operative now, and no longer has delusions of coming from the distant future.'

Sam lifted his head slightly and turned his glassy stare to the younger doctor, mutely he pleaded him for help but instead the man broke the eye contact and stared out the window. Afraid of losing his position at the asylum if he broke any protocols or laws now.

'Dean?' Sam whispered wincing when he heard the scratchiness of his own voice.

Dean turned to look at him again and immediately Sam dropped his gaze, the fiery look was back and he could feel the rage radiating from Dean.

'My anger is not for you Samuel.' Dean said quietly, 'I wish to have some time alone with my brother.'

'Mister Winchester I do not think that is advisable.' Graves started to protest, his words dying on his lips with he saw the change in the older brother's eyes, the burning yellow orbs singed his own. 'Certainly, Cross with me,' Graves said retreating from the room without another word.

'Samuel talk to me please?' Dean asked turning his chair to face his brother.

'I want to come home.' Sam whispered keeping his gaze fixed on the blanket covering his trapped hands.

'I know you do, and if you keep improving then you can come home,' Dean promised, 'this should never have come to this but when you started talking about coming from the future and acting so strange, I – I had no choice, the demon wouldn't leave you when I tried to beat it out of you. This was my only other recourse. You have to believe me Samuel I did this to save you.'

Sam lifted his head and stared at the older version of his Dean, the earnestness in his face, the pleading look in the dark green eyes, he truly believed in what he had just said. Sadly, Sam shook his head and turned his gaze back to the blanket. 'I am better Dean.' He mumbled.

'It will only be for a little while longer and then once the doctors say you can come home I will bring you home myself.'

'I-I want to come home now please Dean, please.' Sam hated begging but he couldn't think straight, his body ached, his mind filled with fog and mists echoing with voices giving him a headache. But it was the overwhelming sense of dread that made it hard for him to breathe. 'Dean you have to get me out of here.'

'What are you talking about? Do you want me to get your Doctors back here Samuel?'

'Dean, they – they do things to me here,' Sam started to tell Dean when the blanket fell from Sam's shaking legs, uncovering the shackles on his wrists.

Dean held his breath and stared in horror at the iron manacles cutting into the tender skin, surrounded by painful bruises and scabbed over cuts, this was not the first time he had worn them. 'Why did they do this to you?' Dean asked glaring at Sam.

'So you wouldn't know about the restraints and straightjacket.' Sam replied, 'Dean they keep me chained in a cell, no bed nothing, and, and they do these ... I'm gonna die in here Dean.'

Dean picked up the blanket and tucked it around his brother's legs again, he listened to the desperate pleas but all he heard were the beginnings of more delusions, delusions of persecution on top of everything else.

'It won't be for much longer Samuel, please just do what they tell you to do and you will get better I promise.'

'No Dean, please don't leave me here. I will be good I promise no more talk about the future or other Deans, nothing I will do anything you want just please don't leave me here.'

Dean stood up and cleared his throat, 'I am sorry Samuel, but obviously you are not completely well yet.' He said dismissively brushing a curt brotherly kiss on Sam's forehead he turned on his heels and strode out of the room.

'No Dean don't leave me here,' Sam screamed repeatedly, 'come back Dean come back, get me out of here.'

'Enough Winchester, ya'll wake the other loonies.' Elias snarled as he and Bill grabbed Sam just as the young man threw himself at the door and bashed at it with his cuffed hands sobbing incoherently. Two heavy blows to the back of his head silenced Sam as he slid to the floor unconscious. Dragging him back to his chair, they propped him up and covered him with the blanket just as the door opened and the two doctors returned.

'What happened here Elias?' Cross asked moving straight to Sam to check him out. 'He's unconscious.'

'Dunno Doc we heard him screaming and yelling but by the time we gots 'ere he was out cold.'

'Is that what really happened Bill?'

'Yessir, he musta fainted or sumfin.'

'Take him back to the wards; put him in one of the private rooms.'

'No,' Perry Graves interrupted Cross, 'no put him back in the tombs, remove his clothes and make sure that he is securely chained.'

'I must disagree Doctor Graves; this young man is need of rest and medical treatment.'

'You will hold a civil tongue in your head Doctor Cross, I am the senior physician here and do not forget it.'

'I am sorry Doctor Graves for my rudeness but it is not in the best interest of the patient to be returned to the tombs, he is ill, he needs proper bed rest and medical care.'

'Take him to the tombs Elias,' Graves ordered, 'Doctor Cross and I have a few things to discuss.'

Elias smirked across at the younger doctor before he nodded to Bill and between them; they dragged Sam out of the room.

Sam opened his eyes and found himself back in the cold damp cell, shivering uncontrollably he realised that he was naked and fettered once again to the ring protruding from the floor.

Desperate to for some warmth he pulled his long legs up as tightly as he could against his chest and laid his head on them, the metal cuffs dug into his wrists with every movement the pain shooting up his arms kept him alert though. He heard the footsteps approaching and pushed himself harder against the wall, subconsciously curling in on himself further. The door opened and his tormentors stood there, swaying drunkenly, Elias carried the leather gag and black hood in his hands, Bill held a small whip in his. 'Time for your next treatment Samuel.' Elias mocked him, 'taint no one gonna hear ya down 'ere but we's brought ya sumfin just ta make sure.' Giggling he clambered down until he crouched in Sam's direct line of sight, 'times for sum fun an' games Sammy boy.'

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

CHAPTER 8

Cabin 12

Plains Cabin Motel

Dresden, Kansas

February 2006

Dean paced the motel room moving like a caged tiger, wound up and ready to pounce on an unsuspecting prey. His leg ached like a bitch but dean swallowed down on the pain and tried to ignore it. All of his instincts shouted at him to be on top of his game. He had to be fully fit, not an invalid. Sammy needed him, Samuel needed him.

Samuel was still in the bathroom washing up as he put it, unable to bring himself to use that contraption Dean called the shower.  
A sudden cry of pain made him stop and freeze in place, listening intently he heard the whimper again, a soft young voice not that of the mature Samuel. Moving with a graceful fluidity of a seasoned hunter even though injured, he burst through the unlocked door and was at Sam's side within seconds.

'What's wrong Samuel?' he asked gathering the other man in his arms he eased him to the floor, worried at the glazed look in his eyes.

'Dean?' Sam whispered clutching his brother's shirt tightly in his fists, 'Dean ... it is you isn't it, not a dream?'

'No, no it's me Sammy,' Dean replied his voice heavy with unshed emotion.

'Dean please get me out of here, I can't ... can't go on ... please Dean forgive me.' Sam's broken and tortured plea shattered Dean's heart and he felt the hot tears burning his eyes looking for a place to escape from.

'Sam look at me, I'm going to find a way to get you back from the past, you just need to hang on for me Dude can you do that?'

'Dean?' Sam blinked and stared at his Dean relief showing on his gaunt face, 'Dean what happened?'

'Not sure on the details yet Sammy but it seems that you and Samuel Winchester have swapped centuries, he's here with me, and you're back there...'

'with the Dean from hell.' Sam managed a small smile, 'Dean please I can't stay here, the guards they ... I don't understand why ... they ...' his smile faltered as he took in his brother's face, drinking it in until he had it memorised, etched on his memory. Then his demeanour changed and his eyes filled with fear his smile gone, pressing himself seemingly against a wall he raised his hands awkwardly to protect his face, 'no please no more,' he cried out, 'no I wasn't talking to anyone, I wasn't talking to myself ... no ... please ... Dean help me.' Dean sat back and watched in horror as his brother fought off an unseen assailant, then Sam's form started to shimmer and fade away, only to be replaced by the older Samuel. 'Dean.' He whispered before sliding sideways his eyes fluttering shut as unconsciousness claimed his exhausted body.

'Fuck, fuck, fuck,' Dean breathed running a shaking hand through his short hair he tried to assess what happened just then but it didn't make sense, this wasn't happening was it?

'Come on Samuel wake up dude you're too heavy for me to carry.' He urged the unconscious man, 'Samuel.'

'No, no more Dean,' Samuel groaned as he tried to wake up, 'don't please I'm not well.'

'Okay Samuel wake up now,' Dean urged shaking the other Sam's shoulder a little harder than he intended. The sea-green eyes snapped open and stared up at him filled with a mix of fear and confusion, blinking furiously Samuel stared at Dean in silence for a few minutes until he realised where he was again.

'Okay there is something really hokey going on here and if we don't set things right very soon history is going to change forever,' Dean reasoned aloud, mentally smiling at himself for sounding so much like his Sam.

'Dean? It wasn't a dream was it?' Samuel asked accepting Dean's outstretched hand to help him stand.

'No and whatever they are doing to my Sam back in your time, is not only killing him but it's...'

'Killing me too.' Samuel finished slowly, 'Dean what about the portrait?'

'The dates haven't changed back, whatever was going to happen a year from that is going to happen anytime now.'

'And if we don't fix it then your Sam will be lost forever in the past...'

'Or worse, Samuel if he dies in your time which makes you disappear then history will be changed for good. And that means my Sam will never be born and ...'

'And what happens to the Winchester family?' Samuel finished for him, 'if Sam dies back there and Dean disappears at the sametime then the family line dies with them.'

'Yep and that means no me and no you.' Dean shook his head, 'we are so screwed.'

'We are missing something Dean, something very obvious.' Samuel mused.

'Well geek boy get on the computer and work your...' Dean let his voice trail off when he saw the look of confusion on the other Sam's face and realised his own mistake, 'fuck you don't even now what the computer is.'

'I am sorry Dean, I feel like this is all of my fault.'

'No ... no it's not,' Dean snapped, 'sorry look I get enough martyr-syndrome from my Sam I don't need it from you.'

'You have lost me Dean.'

'Sam blames himself for everything bad that happens, it's like he has this need to be the martyr no matter who stuffs up,' Dean grinned slightly, 'and that includes me,' he added ruefully.

A sharp knocking at the door made both of the men jump in fright, signalling for Sam to go into the bathroom Dean pulled his gun and cocked it ready with no safety on, 'who is it?' he called positioning himself at the door bracing his injured leg against the wall.

'Jonas I just wanted to see how the two of you are.' The older man's voice came from outside.

Slowly Dean opened the door and peered out in the bright sunlight waiting for his eyes to adjust to the light before he focused on the elderly man's face, 'yeah we're good Jonas how about you?'

'Fine, I – I was a little concerned and thought that I would check on the two of you.' Jonas said trying to peer over Dean's shoulder, 'how's Sam?'

'Yeah good, he's taking a shower, listen Jonas I would love to shoot the breeze with ya but we're kinda in a hurry...'

'Oh, oh of course don't let me keep you I just wanted to see how you were doing.'

'Lots better thanks again Jonas.' Dean smiled though the smile didn't reach his eyes, 'I'll catch you soon.'

'Oh Dean before I forget, this package was sitting on your doorstep when I got here.' Jonas handed Dean the small tightly wrapped parcel, 'something important?'

'Not sure ... thanks again Jonas you've been a great help.' Dean smiled again and this time was able to shut the door, he stared down at the parcel suspiciously, as Samuel re-entered the room.

'What's that?'

'Not sure, dude that's my Sammy's writing.' Dean exclaimed in shock as he made out the handwritten label.

'Are you sure?' Samuel asked peering over Dean's shoulder.

With trembling fingers, Dean undid the string and the plain brown paper; he found a small lead box inside, taking a deep breath he opened the box, inside he found an antique ring cushioned on black velvet, the dragon's head stared sightlessly at him. A small note squashed in the lid fluttered out when he disturbed it.

Samuel picked it up and stared at the familiar but different handwritten scrawl.

_Dean, I don't have much time. They are coming for me; the only way for it to end is for you to use the ring. Please Dean help me, I can't go on much longer. They're here Dean. I miss you. Sammy._

'What the fuck is going on Samuel?' Dean asked as he picked up the cursed ring and stared at it, the unholy green glow illuminating the air around it.

'Put it back in the box Dean please.' Samuel begged him, when he saw the ring glowing in the hands of the future Dean, 'please for your Sam's sake put it back.'

Dean shook himself out of the impromptu trance, dropping the ring back onto the velvet he sealed the box shut and placed it carefully on the bench in front of him.

'Okay we've got some research to do,' he said his voice thick and hoarse, clearing his throat he looked up at Samuel's face, 'dude you are going to have a crash course into the twenty-first century technology.'

'Dean you have lost me.' Samuel said confused he stared down at the shorter man for a lingering moment, 'we could change the past if I learn to much.'

'Dude the past is already fucked up what else can go wrong?' Dean asked with a wry grin on his handsome face, 'okay see this little box here, this is what we call a laptop computer. A mobile computer in other words, now a computer stores things in its memory so you don't have too.' Dean glanced up as the confused look grew on Samuel's face. With a tired sigh, he started to explain what came naturally to his Sam.

Dean limped into the bathroom needing a few quiet minutes, he left Samuel tinkering on the laptop after a crash course in computers. Sighing heavily he sat down on the edge of tub, his fingers absently trailed down the now healing scar on his face, he could feel the knife ripping down his skin even now. A dampness on his jeans made Dean glance down at his leg. the recent movement had reopened the wound. 'Son-of-a-bitch, great that's just great.' he muttered, standing up he awkwardly pulled his jeans down and inspected the gauze padding. Shaking his head angrily he gave it a yank and ripped it away in one fast movement. Minutes later he had a fresh steri-strip over the small opening still leaking fluid and then a clean gauze pad over the top complete with the waterproof adhesive strip on top to keep it in place and free from damp when he showered.

A white object caught his eye under the basin and he craned his neck slightly to get a better look, frowning he slid down to the floor and reached under grabbing it he pulled it up and out slowly. It was Sammy's cast, completely intact, Dean's hands trembled as he ran his fingers over the roughened edge, a small sad smile played on his lips as he remembered how many time Sam would bitch about it being so itchy wanting to rip it off. He hated the cast with a passion at times wanting to smash it off but Dean calmed him down, especially when he found out that his bones hadn't knitted back together completely and he had to wear a new cast for an extra few weeks. Dean shook his head and the smile disappeared from his face as the hot tears fell down his face, finally escaping the tight confines of his internal shields. His heart broke as he thought of his fragile little brother, abused, sick and alone in an asylum trapped in the wrong time. Alone, the one thing that completely terrified Sam and to the same extent Dean, being alone, berefit of their brother.

Dean's shoulders shook as he sobbed clutching the cast to his chest.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

Author's Note: I have decided to use different chapters now for the different times, easier for me to write and easier I hope for you to follow rather than using Italics all of the time. I will try to post two at a time so that the story lines flow... that's the plan anyway!

I know that electric shock therapy was not used until the early 20th C. this version is like a homemade version that supposedly works in the same way only on a battery type charge made by a crazy 19th C. Doctor who likes to experiment with his patients.

CHAPTER 9

Daimonledge Asylum for the insane

Dresden Kansas

February 1878

Sam shivered and pressed himself against the damp wall, desperately trying to protect himself from the cold but also from the rats that co-habited the cell with him. Their sharp teeth tearing into his exposed flesh.

Sweat beaded across his forehead as the fever raged through his fail body, it wouldn't be much longer and no one will be able save him, including Dean.

After his last humiliating experience at the hands of the two sentinels, Sam was left alone, no food, drink, or care of any kind. Not even a visit from Doctor Cross, Sam was completely and utterly without help or hope.

Laughter bubbled from his lips as he scratched his nails into the soft crumbling stone wall, marking off another day, week, or hour he was not sure now; his sense of time passing had left a long time ago, now he only existed. He stopped begging for his brother, he stopped speaking.

Realising that if he endured the abuse in silence it went a lot quicker, for him, and made it less interesting for his abusers. Preferring it when he screamed and fought back.

The door swung open startling the young man and he pushed his long naked body harder against the wall, pulling on his restraints painfully cutting into the scarred skin of his emaciated wrists. His long shoulder length unkempt hair fell over his face hiding him from the invader, his body trembling as he anticipated the worst.

'Oh whatsa matta future boy?' a cruel voice taunted him, 'whatsa matta huh? Lost ya tongue has ya?' a large hand gripped his thick long hair and pulled back viciously exposing Sam's face. 'Ah there's ya are.'

'Got sumfin new for ya boy,' Elias grinned, 'Doc wants ya to be tidied up and brought to 'im.'

'D-d-d-doctor C-C-Cross?' Sam stammered softly.

'N-n-n-no,' Elias taunted Sam, 'no Doc Graves got sum new visitors for ya. He reckons ya'll need ta learn more ... now 'ow did he says it? Oh ya he says that ya'll need ta learn more 'umility.'

'Hu-hu-humility?' Sam blinked up at the man confused.

'Get up boy,' Elias snarled pulling on Sam's hair until the younger man stood hunched over as the chains restricted his full height became taut and unforgiving. 'Doc said ta gives ya a good cleanin','

Sam shrank back from Elias as the realisation hit him, 'n-n-no pl-pl-please.'

'Oh future boy got his tongue back 'as he?' Elias laughed unlocking Sam's cuffs from the length of chain he pushed the hapless young man face first against the wall crushing his cheek into the stone. 'Don't move.' Came the snarled warning in Sam's ear, he could smell the rancid breath of his tormentor as it filled the small area between his face and the wall. Knowing what was to come Sam closed his eyes and let himself float, until he hovered above his Dean, watching him sleep, fitfully, tossing in the grips of a dream. tears sprang to Sam's eyes as he so desperately wanted to reach out and touch Dean.

Just then, Dean's eyes shot open and they stared at each other both reaching out with outstretched hands.

'Dean,' Sam cried at the sametime Dean cried out for Sam.

An invading hand pulled Sam back violently into his body, his thin body slammed against the wall with each vicious thrust, each one more forceful than the last until a scream escaped from his throat. Rising and bubbling pushing its way passed his clenched teeth and locked jaw. Strangled and hoarse it forced its way through until it reverberated throughout the small cell.

A hand gripped his forced erection, squeezing and twisting until Sam cried out again, his cheeks flushed with the humiliation and slick with his tears slid against the already damp stone wall leaving track marks on his skin.

As quickly as the assault started it ended in a shuddering climax for his assailant, Sam felt himself start to topple sideways, but the groping hands stopped his descent, instead he found himself spun around and pushed back against the wall so he faced Elias. A blinding slap snapped his head backwards and he instantly dropped his gaze, realising the mistake he made when he looked into the guard's eyes.

'When will ya learn future boy?' Elias growled, 'no one's comin' for ya, no one wants ya ceptin' me an' I's gonna make sure that I's got ya for a helluva long time.' Brutally he crushed his mouth against Sam's forcing his tongue into his mouth until the boy started to gag, then he moved down his body, long slobbering kisses down the heaving bony chest until he laved Sam's navel with his tongue. Delighting in the tiny futile waves of rebellion still coursing through his young victim. 'Ya'll taste so's good, boy.' He murmured as he knelt in front of Sam and wrapped his hands around Sam's hips holding him steady while he took Sam in his mouth.

A hoarse cry escaped from Sam as he strained and tried to push the man away; clenching his fists tight, he swung his manacled hands connecting with Elias' head forcing the man to lose his balance. His teeth grazed Sam's swollen and hard penis leaving thin tracks of red along the length. With a roar of fury at the audacity of his victim, Elias moved with blinding speed and pinned Sam beneath him in one fluid movement.

Squirming under the man's weight Sam continued to fight, arching his back he tried to buck him off and then bending his long legs he pushed upwards with the last remnants of his strength, gasping as his wasted muscles and tendons started to rip and burn.

Frantically trying to catch his breath Sam rolled away and managed to get to his feet, swaying he lurched towards the open door and the fragment of hope that lay beyond it, freedom.

'Not so fast boy,' two large hands grabbed him as Sam tried to break free, slamming his head against the heavy door and then easily threw him back into the room. Crashing against the wall Sam lay where he fell, his breath wheezing through his damaged lungs, and broken ribs threatened to tear him apart.

Elias stood shaking his head groggily he stared at the intruder, 'lil bastards been foxin' us.' He spat out lurching over to Sam he crouched down in front of him and once again twisted his fingers in Sam's long hair knotting it even more. Pulling back he forced the nearly unconscious boy to look up at him, 'this aint ova boy, ya'll find out tha hard way ... ya aint a fox anymore.'

Sam felt them lift him, large hands encircled his arms one on each side of him, he felt them drag him between them. His bare feet slid on the slippery tiles as they dragged him out of his cell, crying out he tried to close his eyes against the sudden brightness but a solid cuff on the back of his head made him open them again, not letting him have any relief at all.

Weakly he lifted his head, saw the bathing room, and pushed back refusing to go in there. His pitiful screams fuelling the howls of other unseen and invisible inmates. The crescendo of screams, laughter, and jumbled words deafening for the two guards holding Sam. Angrily Elias clamped his hand over Sam's mouth silencing him he wrapped his free hand around Sam's chest as Bill moved to pick his legs up and easily carried him the rest of the way into the room.

This time though, instead of placing Sam on the canvas sling for the ice bath dunking they carried him to a small cubicle at the back of the room, a lone hook suspended from the ceiling the only object in it. Terrified Sam started to struggle against the hands holding him tightly, bruising his already battered flesh, Bill dropped Sam's feet and went to help Elias, and together they effortlessly hung Sam from his manacled wrists on the hook leaving him suspended above the drain hole in the floor.

Sam's head slumped forward, as he willed himself to leave his body, not wanting to endure anymore pain and degradation, but exhaustion overcame his desire to flee and he remained trapped in the shell of his body.

The spray of cold water made him gasp and splutter, slitting his eyes open Sam tried to focus on the men in front of him when they hit him with the water once again. The needles of water pummelled his body unmercifully, dully he felt one of them scrubbing his skin with some sort of harsh soap and a brush and then the water again, dousing him from head to toe. Trembling and shivering Sam hung in the cubicle a long time after they finished hosing him down. His fever flared and the heat and chill fought to control his body. He lifted his head slightly when he heard footsteps coming towards him; a hand lifted his chin up making Sam blink owlishly at the new arrival. His ears still rang with the downpour of water and his skin stung from the harshness of the soap and bristled brush but he still managed to hide behind the mask, he perfected since his arrival in Daimonledge.

'It is good to see you aware Mister Winchester,' Doctor Graves smiled patronisingly at Sam, 'you see your brother has been less than forthcoming with the costs of your care here in recent weeks.'

'So let me go home and I won't cost you a cent.' Sam managed to grunt out. 'I would love to thank you for your sparkling hospitality by the way, top notch treatment.'

'That is very funny Mister Winchester, in a sad pathetic way. Unfortunately until your brother signs for your release or we receive an order from the magistrates you are here for the duration of your natural life.'

'No.' Sam struggled pulling his chin free from the man's vice-like grip, 'no I don't belong here - it's not even my time.'

'Really Samuel I thought that we had rid you of your delusions obviously you need further treatment in that area.' Doctor Graves said stepping away from the struggling young man.

'You can't keep me here,' Sam cried kicking out his foot connected with Elias' groin sending the big man sprawling on the wet floor, next Sam moved with speed belying his fragile appearance and executed a perfect roundhouse kick connecting with Bill knocking him backwards against the wall. Pulling himself up with screaming muscles Sam managed to unhook his restraints before dropping lightly on his feet.

'There is nowhere for you to go Samuel,' Doctor Grave said watching the young hunter with renewed interest, this was the most life the young man had shown since his incarceration at the asylum.

'I'm leaving and you can't stop me,' Sam panted as he advanced on the cruel doctor, 'I don't belong here.'

'Samuel please we only want to help you.'

'Help me! Help me by how ... raping me ... beating me? Drugging me or ... oh yeah torturing me?' Sam's anger flared dousing his pain, adrenaline coursed through his veins, finally feeling alive again. 'And don't forget my favourite pastime being plunged in fucking iced water baths.'

'Samuel you need to calm down,' the doctor kept backing away from the advancing menacing form of his young patient. 'The treatments were all approved by your brother and agreed upon by the medical staff here.'

'Rape is an approved treatment?' Sam spat out the words, 'having a filthy hand grope your body, and do unspeakable things to you while you are unable to fight back ... you call that treatment?'

'Samuel if you don't calm down I will be forced to take further action.' The doctor desperately tried to gain control of the situation again. He saw Bill and Elias standing and moving quietly towards Sam, he just had to keep him distracted long enough for them to subdue him.

'What else can you do to me Doctor?' Sam snarled covering the last few feet between them in two long strides. His long fingers curled around the doctor's throat, Sam started to squeeze wanting to throttle the man there and then.

Lifelessly he slumped over his intended victim and slid to the floor, blood trickling from the back of his head. Elias stood over Sam's prone body, his bloodied riot stick still raised ready to strike again. 'Stand down Elias.' Graves instructed him as he crouched by Sam and checked to see if the boy was still alive.

'Restrain him, properly this time feet and wrist fetters, no actually I have a better idea, bring him.' Graves strode out his hand still massaging his bruising neck.

Doctor Eugene Cross stood in the shadows and watched them drag Sam lifelessly down the corridor behind Graves. He could see the blood dripping from the back of Sam's head and his heart sank a little further.

It was his first day back after his recommended leave of two weeks, he had already gone to look for Samuel Winchester in the tombs, finding only bloodstains and rats licking at them.

Sickened he returned to the upper levels intent on finding his patient when he heard Sam's raised voice coming from the bathing room. Shocked he watched the altercation and the blindsiding of Sam by Elias.

Keeping back and sticking to the shadowed areas Doctor Cross followed them, worried about what was going to be done to Sam. They were taking him to the restricted area, where only Doctor Graves worked, research he said.

Swallowing deeply Eugene kept following, the image of Sam bleeding and unconscious engraved on his mind now in full colour fuelled his anxieties even more.

Glancing around he made sure no one noticed him as he slipped inside the east wing of the asylum, the forbidden area.

Trembling he hid in the small ante-room used to observe patients without their knowledge. A darkened mirror giving the person a clear view of what was happening without the patient ever knowing.

'Put Samuel on the table,' Doctor Graves ordered as he went to a cupboard filled with vials of different concoctions. 'Strap him down I don't want to give him any chance of freeing himself.'

'Yes Doctor,' Elias said frowning slightly, if the doctor kept the boy here, then Elias would lose his favourite toy.

Once Graves made sure that Sam was well restrained he relaxed slightly and told Elias and Bill to back off, stay close by to wait for him to call them, this, this he wanted to do himself.

Sam's eyes slitted open and he watched the doctor moving around, his eyes hidden under his long hair. As his anxiety grew Sam felt himself starting to shake, tiny tremors ran through his body, like bolts of electricity. Desperately he tried to remember his history, did they use shock therapy before the turn of the twentieth century. No, no electricity was barely used by the general public, a cold wetness on his chest startled Sam back to his present predicament.

'Nice to see you aware Samuel this will make my work so much easier.'

'What ... what are you doing?' Sam asked his words thick and slurred his breathing quickening as panic set in.

'You see I have spent my entire life studying the human anatomy Samuel, especially the brain. How does it work, and why do seemingly healthy people like yourself display such anti-social traits and insanity. Is it heredity or is it some sort of defect brought on during birth or after a traumatic incident.

Most of those I can use for my experiments unfortunately are in vegetative states already and can only be used for observation purposes during the treatments. You however are alert and able to communicate which is of enormous benefit for me. It is a shame that a young man such as yourself can be so ill mentally, but it is my hope that with this research I will find a way to control the insane. To make them more pliable members of the community.'

Sam stared at the doctor a look of horror spreading across his face as the full impact of the doctor's words hit him. His eyes widened as he watched the doctor crank up a strange looking battery with two crude paddles attached to it. 'No, no please don't you don't know what you're ...ahhh.' Sam screamed as the electrical current flowed through his already weakened and broken body.

'Tell me your name.' Graves said as he removed the paddles and stared down at Sam.

'Sam Winchester.' Sam said hesitantly, hoping that if he complied with the doctor then he would stop with his so-called treatment.

'Very good,' the doctor smiled and patted Sam's shoulder as he disappeared from view, minutes later Sam felt hands on his head, desperately he tried to wrestle free from the grip but it was futile, before he could register exactly what happened Sam felt a tight pressure around his head, pressing into his skull immobilising him.

His neck stretched straight and his head trapped in a vice-like contraption Sam could only see directly above him. He stared at the ceiling and tried to hear the doctor moving around. Then he felt the wetness on his temples and he started to scream.

Eugene gagged as he watched Sam's body jerk and convulse uncontrollably under the restraints holding him to the bed. His screams had long ceased the only sign of life left in his body when Graves finally released Sam were the tremors running through him.

'What is your name?' Graves asked three times before he got a response from Sam.

'S...a...m. W ... in ...ch...est...er.' He finally got out; a thin line of viscous drool ran from the corner of his mouth, his eyes glazed over and unfocused looked blank and empty.

'Elias, Bill take him back to the tombs, I want him to be separate from the rest while I finish his new treatments and then he can be placed in the wards.' The doctor said dismissively his interest in Sam gone for now.

The two guards exchanged curious looks as they went to get Sam, Elias stared down at the slack-mouthed blank-eyed young man, the spirit and fight gone from him.

'Fuck it,' he breathed angrily his toy was broken. 'Get a gurney Bill, we'll wheel 'im back, damned if we're gonna carry 'im all that way.'

Bill pulled his attention away from Sam and went to find a suitable gurney to make the trip through the building and back down to the tombs without gaining too much attention.

As they pushed Sam back through the halls, Elias kept stealing glances down at the boy, hoping that he would snap out of it before they got back to the tombs.

'Fuck the doc did a numba on 'im didn' he Elias.' Bill grumbled, 'the kid aint there now.'

'Bill go find Cross an' git 'im now.' Elias said, 'I'll git the kid back to tha tombs.'

'Sure thing but won't...'

'don't give a fuck what that ol' doc says he broke our toy.' Elias snapped glancing back down to Sam's blank eyes and drool slicked mouth.

Elias hesitated at the top of the stairs leading down to the cells known as the tombs, hardly anyone emerged from them alive. Most unfortunates locked down there until they rotted away, their bodies disposed of as though they were pieces of rubbish.

With a heaving sigh Elias slipped his arms under Sam's shoulders and knees and easily lifted him off the gurney carrying him down the stairs and back into the darkness.

Placing Sam down on the floor Elias ran back up the stairs, grabbed the thin rubber mattress off the gurney and the once-white sheet, and raced back down to the cell.

He laid them out against the wall before picking Sam up once again and gently laying him down on the sheet. The rubber protecting the naked boy a little, he looked up when he saw Bill hurrying in closely followed by doctor Cross.

'Doctor Graves did sumfin to the kid, he don' look so good.' Elias said gruffly, even though he tortured and brutally raped Sam repeatedly in his own twisted way he cared for the kid. He belonged to Elias and the doctor did things to him, now Elias didn't know if he could ever play with Sam again the same way.

Cross bit, his lip from telling the men that he saw everything instead he knelt down next to Sam, noting the rubber mattress and sheet.

'Elias pass me my bag and then go and get a bowl of warm water please and some clean rags, Bill go and find clean blankets and perhaps another sheet.' Cross didn't even bother looking up at the two sentinels gently he brushed Sam's hair from his face and studied the features carefully. A thin trickle of blood coated Sam's upper lip mixing with the drool still dribbling from the corner of his mouth.

'What did he do to you?' he asked tenderly trying to remember the healthy but confused young man brought to him not so long ago. 'I'm going to get you out of here as soon as I can Samuel.' He promised fervently as he stitched the back of Sam's head neatly, the cut was not long, but it was deep, already starting to look red with an encroaching infection.

Sam's head tilted towards the direction of where the voice came from but he couldn't make out what was said or who said it. He tried to lift his hand to wipe his face but it felt so heavy and strange. A soft whimper came from him, he needed him - Sammy needed his Dean. 'Dean?' he whispered as the sobs erupted from deep inside. 'Deanie?'

'Sam?' Cross shook his head not sure if he heard the whispered words leaning down he listened intently, he could just make out the name Deanie, large tears fell down Sam's face as he sobbed brokenly, 'Sammy ... needs ... Deanie,' he cried clutching at the man hovering above him in the mists.

Doctor Cross sat back stunned, Sam spoke but it was as though he was only a child, no older than five or six wanting his big brother.

'Ere Doc.' Elias shoved the bowl of water in front of the doctor before retreating to his post by the door, with infinite care and tenderness Eugene Cross washed the blood and tears away from Sam's face, caught the ribbon of drool and wiped it away from Sam's mouth. The wide sea-green eyes watched him as he worked, the steady gaze never left his face as he moved to wash Sam down with the warm water. Then when he finished he covered his patient with the blankets Bill found making sure that they were free of bugs before he laid them on Sam.

'I want to be sent for if his fever worsens or he starts to convulse again, vomit, or lose consciousness is that understood. You are to come to find me not Doctor Graves.' Eugene said moving to stand up when long fingers snaked out from under the blankets and wrapped around his wrist. 'Sam?'

'Where's ... Deanie?' Sam asked lisping slightly he stared up at the doctor with the trusting look of a young child. After all Doctors help kids don't they.

'I'll go find him for you Samuel.'

'No, no Samuel that's for old people.' Sam's nose wrinkled at the thought, 'I'm Sammy.'

'How old are you Sammy?' Eugene asked his curiosity getting the better of him.

'Five years and two months.'

'And is Deanie your big brother?'

'Yeah, he's umm nine years old.'

'Sammy I need you to rest for me now okay?' Eugene smiled placing the stray hand under the blankets again, 'I'll go and find Deanie but you have to have a good rest, you have a bad fever.'

'Owkay.' Sam yawned and let his eyes close. As he drifted off to sleep a thin trickle of blood escaped, smearing across his cheek as he restlessly moved, trying to find a comfortable position.

Elias watched the sleeping Sam with a strange look on his face; he wanted to kill the doctor for doing this to his Samuel. His Samuel ... he hadn't thought of the kid like that before, but that's who he was. From the first time Elias marked him he belonged to him. Granted he had already used other patients to help relieve the relentless pressure building up in him, especially when he sees helpless young men. Working at the asylum gave him easy prey to sate his appetite with, and that was fine until Samuel Winchester came in.

The fire in the boy's spirit, the way he fought back against them no matter what they did to him, he fought back refusing to give in. That strength and stubbornness attracted Elias even more than the youthful good looks and air of innocence about the kid. When he heard that Samuel Winchester was aged in his early thirties he knew that was a mistake, this kid was no older than twenty-two, twenty-three at the most.

Sliding into the cell, he closed the door behind him and hurried over to the still body lying tucked under the blankets. Deciding to take it in turns to keep an eye on Sam, Bill took the first watch spending the night in the cell with Sam, but did nothing more than check on him a couple of times when the kid moaned and tossed about in his sleep.

Elias arrived early in the morning to relieve his friend, after spending a night dreaming of the lithe young body waiting for him. 'Ya awake kid?' he asked gruffly when he noticed a slight movement. Sam blinked up at the man over the edge of the blankets, his eyes wide and trusting.

'Who are you?' Sam asked yawning, 'where's Dean?'

'Ya brotha he'll be in lata ... so kid ya'll feelin' better?'

'Tired and ... hurts.' Sam's lower lip quivered, 'where's Deanie?' he asked again not liking the man bending down next to him.

'Nuff of askin' bout ya brotha kid, geeze.' Elias grumbled the fire stirring in his groin as he watched Sam's lips quiver and the tears start to fall again. Cursing deeply he gave into the impulse and grabbed Sam's head in his hands, brutally crushing his tender lips with Elias' own, his tongue forcing its way in to Sam's mouth making him gag under the sudden assault.

With urgent hands, Elias pushed the blankets off Sam exposing his lean naked body again, licking his dry lips he watched the boy shiver under the close-scrutiny. Roughly, he ran his fingers down Sam's chest and stomach with a gruff laugh of delight he bent down to smother Sam's abdomen with sloppy wet kisses, trailing his tongue along the bruised skin. His other hand moved over Sam's crotch massaging and teasing the tender skin, cupping his balls he squeezed them tightly a sliver of delight washed through him when he felt Sam respond to his ministrations.

'That's my boy.' He grunted as his fingers tightened around Sam's burgeoning erection. A sob escaped from Sam causing Elias to lift his head enough to stare at him angrily, 'make a sound an' I'll gag ya!' Elias threatened and then to emphasise just how serious he kept his grip on Sam's penis but moved until his face hovered over his victim's. without warning he pounced biting Sam viciously on the shoulder sinking his teeth in until he drew blood. With Sam's blood smeared over his mouth he grinned and then kissed Sam forcing his tongue in again, filling Sam's mouth with the sweet coppery taste of his own blood. Gagging Sam tried to fight his assailant off but still too weak from the 'shock' treatment and fever, he was no match for the bigger man. Completely consumed by his passions and desire to make the boy his forever Elias lifted himself off Sam and stood up forcing the younger man up on shaking legs. Grabbing a fistful of Sam's hair, he pushed the young man's face down towards his own hard erection. 'No!' Sam screamed pummelling at the man he pushed him away and ran blindly from the cell.

His only thought was to get away from him and to find Dean, gulping in air he skidded running up the stairs but when he heard the cursing and footsteps behind him he scrambled to his feet and kept running.

The bright light of the upper levels caught Sam off guard and his hands flew up to his eyes to protect them. Voices yelled at him, but he backed away terrified, he could feel his heart pounding against his chest trying to escape as he whirled around in a tight circle.

'Sammy?' a familiar voice broke through his panic attack, blinking furiously Sam saw the face of Doctor come into focus. 'Sammy, it's okay calm down.'

'Doctor?' Sam whispered, 'where's Deanie?'

'Come with me Sam and we'll see if we can find your brother,' Eugene Cross held out his hand to Sam, after a moment's hesitation Sam took it and let the Doctor take him away from the other man.

In the privacy of his office Eugene looked at Sam closely, the younger man still had a high fever, the heat rolled off him in waves, but then, then he saw the bite mark on Sam's shoulder. The terrified expression on his face and the scratch marks covering his body.

'Sam I need to ask you something.'

'Yep?'

'Did someone do something to you?' Eugene asked helping Sam into one of his spare white lab coats.

'Don't make me go back down there please Doctor?' Sam begged grasping Eugene's arms tightly, 'he's down there.'

'Who Sam? Who did this to you?'

'Elias, I can't ... I can't do it again Doctor Cross ... I am not insane Doctor.'

Eugene stared at Sam in shock, he saw the quiet intelligence forming behind the guarded look in his eyes, the way his stance, in fact his whole demeanour started to change in front of him. 'Can you tell me your name?'

'Sam Winchester.' Came the reply with no hesitation, lisp or slurring, just a low clear voice.

'How old are you Sam?'

'Twenty, ah twenty-three, nearly twenty-four.'

'What year is this?'

'Honestly? I don't know.' Sam sighed he looked down at his bare arm in surprise, 'where's my cast?'

'Cast?'

'Yeah I ah fell and broke my wrist I had a plaster cast on.' Sam stared down at his hand, his head hurt and the buzzing sound was coming back.

'Sam, Samuel I'm not exactly sure what is going on but I have to get you out of here.' Eugene said seriously, 'Graves will be searching for you soon and honestly I don't think you will be able to withstand another so-called therapy and I can't put you back in the...' Eugene's voice trailed off when he saw the panicked look coming back to Sam's eyes, the quickening of his breathing and the wheezing sound rattling in his chest, 'I am not putting you back there Sam not with those monsters.'

'They, they did do those things to me didn't they?' Sam asked his voice barely audible, 'that man Elias and his friend ... they ... they...'

'Not anymore Sam, now I have to get you out of here without anyone noticing you and the fact that you are so tall doesn't help matters.'

Sam gave him a slight grin and checked the doors, 'they'll be looking for me,' he whispered, 'get a grip Winchester what would Dean do?'

'Okay Doc can you get your hands on a gurney?'

'Yes why?'

'Where do you take the patients who die here?'

'Through the back doors and straight to the mortuary.' Eugene explained his eyes widening with understanding as he realised what Sam was thinking.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

* * *

CHAPTER 10

Manor de Joi

Home of Dr Eugene Cross

Dresden Kansas

February 1878

Sam sat in the big chair by the fire and gazed morosely into the flames, his injuries already starting to heal once he was in a safe, clean, and comfortable environment, but his state of mind now was in question.

Sane and healthy when he was forced into the asylum, abused, and degraded beyond the endurance of any man, now he questioned his own sanity. He wanted to kill the three men who abused him so badly he could taste it. Taste their blood and life forces deep in his throat gagging him.

After a week of sleeping in a clean bed and being treated for his fever and injuries by Eugene he actually felt a lot better physically.

'Morning Samuel,' Eugene smiled as he strode into the living room, 'you are up early.'

'Yeah I – I guess.' Sam mumbled, 'good morning Eugene and Sam is fine.'

'Did you have more nightmares?' Eugene asked directly his smile fading around the edges.

Sam looked at him with sad and tired eyes, and nodded silently turning his attention to his flame watching. 'Same one.' He mumbled.

'Do you want to talk about it?' Eugene asked using his best neutral tone, 'anything we talk about is private and for no one else to hear.'

'I – I know and thanks Eugene,' Sam managed a weak smile glancing at the other man before turning his attention back to the fire, tears shining in his eyes, 'I – I miss Dean.'

'Do you want to contact him?'

'Thanks Eugene but ... he's not the Dean I miss.' Sam sighed 'I'm going to go and dress I might go for a walk.'

'Stay clear of the main streets if you do Samuel; remember that they are still searching for you.'

'Thanks Eugene for everything, I know how much this has cost you.'

'I will find employment elsewhere Samuel, aside from that I could not stand by any longer and watch them abuse you.'

Sam opened his mouth to reply but instead a hiss of pain escaped and he grabbed his head wrapping his long fingers in his now shorter and neater hair. 'Ah hurts ... my head.' He gasped blinking furiously he tried to push his way through the discomfort but he knew what was coming.

_A familiar dark room filled his eyesight, the bookcase filled with books on anything metaphysical in front of him. A desk covered in papers and open books next to it yes he did know where he was._

_He turned and saw the Dean of this time standing over the prone body of his younger brother, the other Samuel. Sam stared down at his historical counterpart, the same slightly older features, the fashionably styled hair everything about him was very familiar and at the sametime very alien to him._

_He gasped and his own body rocked with the force of the blow as Dean beat his brother again. Using his cane he thrashed the younger man who lay curled on his side trying to protect his more vulnerable parts. Sam saw the ring glowing an unholy green with every strike until the cane snapped. Dean took a breath, staggered over to the desk, and pulled out a small handgun with a pearl handle. He aimed at his dying brother, a cold look on his face but it his eyes startled Sam in his voyeuristic role, the only witness to the carnage._

_With glowing green eyes Dean looked down at Samuel whose life bled away in front of him, taking aim he shot him directly in the heart and then he sank to his knees next to Samuel's body. 'Good bye Samuel.' Dean whispered and then in an apparent trance like state he lifted the gun to his own temple and pulled the trigger. His lifeless body slumped forward lying over his brother. The green ring no longer glowed but instead looked just like any other costume jewellery, a ring with a dull stone._

Sam gasped and gripped Eugene's arms tightly to regain his sense of balance, 'I – I know what happened to the brothers when they supposedly disappeared.'

'What? How?' Eugene spat out his eyes wide with shock, 'Samuel what just happened here?'

Sam sniffed and wiped the small trickle of blood away from his upper lip, 'I ah have visions.'

'Excuse me?'

'I have visions, premonitions and they always come true, I saw the Dean from this time beating Samuel and then he got a gun from his desk, shot Samuel in the heart and then turned to gun on himself.'

'Do you know when this will happen?'

'No, no but soon...' Sam looked up at Eugene shock registering in his green eyes darkening them, 'Eugene if I can't get back to my time then – then the past Dean will beat me up and then kill me before himself. That means my family will change forever.'

'I am so sorry Samuel, I truly am.' Eugene said softly, 'I must admit though that I find your tale of the future disconcerting to say the least.'

'Eugene I am not lying, I am not insane, and I am not making it up.'

'I know Sam, we just have to work out a way of getting the Dean here to see the light and help us, not hinder us.'

'If he is anything like my Dean then we're in for a fight,' Sam smirked ruefully, 'he can be quite stubborn when he wants to be.'

'I seem to know someone else like that.' Eugene smiled as he stretched and went to ring the servant's bell, 'breakfast?'

'Thanks.'

'I think we might eat on the terrace it is a beautiful day.' Eugene said as he waited for Emiline his housekeeper to come bustling in.

'Morning young Sir,' Emiline smiled as she nodded her head to Eugene, 'and Mister Sam it is so good to see up and about.'

'Thanks Emiline.' Sam smiled warmly instantly liking the gentle woman with her chocolate coloured skin and deep brown eyes, she reminded him so much of Missouri.

'So what can I do for the two of you boys?'

'Em, could you have our breakfast served on the terrace, it is such a beautiful day.'

'Not a problem at all, do you have any requests Mister Sam?'

'Emiline whatever you decide will be fine but please don't go to any trouble some toast will be okay.'

'And coffee?'

'That is one thing I will never say no too, your coffee is fantastic.' The young man gave the housekeeper his warmest and brightest smile, 'I wish I could take it with me when I return home.'

'Oh, you're not staying here?'

'For a while, don't worry Emiline you're not going to get ride of me that easily.'

'Good to hear, and what about you young Sir?'

'Toast and jams will be fine, oh and some eggs I think.' Eugene smiled at the woman who practically raised him after the death of his mother when he was six months old.

'Yes Sir,' Emiline smiled and nodded at Sam, 'your breakfast will be ready in twenty minutes on the terrace. With a large pot of my coffee for you Mister Samuel.'

'Thanks Emiline.' Sam smiled sadly and turned to the fire to hide his sudden burgeoning tears.

'Samuel are you alright?' Eugene asked touching Sam lightly on the shoulder he noticed how the younger man flinched at the touch.

'Just so tired Eugene, tired of fighting, tired of hunting, tired of being screwed by whatever thinks it's in control of my so-called destiny. I'm tired of being scared and hurting so much, I'm just tired.' Sam said wincing with each admission, he couldn't talk to Dean like this and that saddened him even further. 'I don't want to be a victim anymore Eugene but every time I think of ... that place...' Sam's voice trailed off as the tears finally fell.

'Sam all of what you are feeling ... it's normal after what you have been subjected to ... most men wouldn't have survived.'

'So what you're saying Doc is that I am a glutton for punishment?' Sam quipped but the sadness in his eyes belied the good humour in his voice.

'Samuel I am here to talk anytime you need you know that don't you?'

'Yeah but please Eugene call me Sam, I am not Samuel.' Sam asked, _'hell I wouldn't even mind being called Sammy if it meant I could go home.'_ He thought.

'Sam?' Eugene asked frowning at the younger man's sudden silence and blank expression, silently he prayed that it wasn't the first sign of regression, of Sam sliding back into the horrors of the asylum and be trapped by memories.

'Huh?'

'Sam are you alright, you seemed to be ...'

'Oh sorry Eugene I was just thinking,' Sam said hating the tremor in his voice.

'Well how about some of Emiline's wonderful fresh-baked bread and jams?' Eugene grinned, 'we should really go to the terrace.'

'Yeah sure, thanks Dude.' Sam said although he still seemed distant and moving further away from Eugene's reality.

'Fine then come along,' Eugene took Sam's elbow and started to lead him through to the dining room and the terrace through the French doors. Sam lifted his head and stared around, he could taste the panic rising through him. He pulled out of Eugene's grip and backed away from him. Sam's face now devoid of any colour looked drawn and etched with pain.

The headache assaulted him with such a force that it took his breath away, he felt himself being dragged towards the bathing room once again. His breathing hitched in his throat as the terror and fear took control of his chest and lungs. Refusing them access to the fresh air.

'Samuel?' Eugene called to him but didn't move, instead he watched with concern as Sam relived a painful memory.

'No please, no more!' Sam begged as he crashed into a high backed chair and the dining room, pain flared through his back but he kept moving he had to get away, 'no, no, no.'

'Samuel it's alright, you're safe here no one can hurt you.'

'You, you were there...' Sam started to hyperventilate while remembering being trapped in that canvas sling and lowered into the bath filled with ice and water. The face above him, the one doing it to him stood in front of him. 'No, please why are you doing this?'

'Samuel please it's all over you're not in the asylum anymore.' Eugene could feel his patience waning as he tried to calm the young man down, perhaps he was hasty in his rescue attempt.

'No, you – you were in it with Elias,' Sam's hyperventilating worsened until he fought for each breath. 'Stay away from me.'

'Samuel you are going to have to calm down or you will have heart failure.'

'Stop ... where ... you ... are.' Sam held out a shaking hand when he saw Eugene move closer, his knees started to buckle as his oxygen starved lungs started to close down. Robbing his body of the precious life giving intake.

'Sam?' Eugene watched as Sam's eyes rolled backwards and he collapsed to the floor no longer breathing. 'Samuel?' He dropped to his knees and stared at the lifeless young man lying in front of him, 'damn it all Samuel you cannot die.' Eugene cried out. Just then, Sam's body jerked violently as he gasped in desperation for air.

'Samuel please breath,' he massaged the paralysed chest muscles in an attempt to help his patient breath. Sam's eyes slitted open a fraction and he stared unseeingly at Eugene's face as he fought to regain control of his sporadic breathing.

'Eugene?' Sam blinked to clear his eyes, his voice sounded rough and barely audible.

'You gave me a fright Samuel,' Eugene grinned, 'please no more of these panics I don't think my heart will take it.'

'Where's Dean?' Sam asked confusion showing on his youthful face.

'He is not here Samuel; don't you remember we had to rescue you from Daimonledge?'

'No, no Dean is in the motel room ... where? Oh fuck.' Sam sighed as the realisation hit him, 'it wasn't a dream was it?'

'No I am afraid not Samuel,' Eugene said standing he held his hand out to Sam, 'do you think you can stand?'

Sam nodded and slowly climbed to his feet using Eugene's offered hand to stabilise himself. Bashing on the front door startled both men and Sam cringed feeling himself start to panic again.

'Sh Samuel it's alright, Emiline will answer the door,' Eugene counselled the younger man.

'Where is he?' Dean's crisp authoritative sounding voice carried through the quiet house.

'I'm sorry sir but who are you looking for?' Emiline blinked at the rudeness of the man towering over her in the doorway.

'My brother where is he?'

'I have no idea who you are or who your brother is, I must ask you to leave Sir.'

'I am Dean Winchester and I know for a fact that your employer has been harbouring my brother Samuel here.' Dean pushed past the woman and strode into the foyer swinging his cane menacingly.

'I am sorry Sir but I must ask you to leave.' Emiline stood her ground refusing to be intimidated by this man.

'Samuel come here now.' Dean bellowed. 'Now Samuel.'

In the dining room, Eugene watched as Sam regressed further into his catatonic state that just a few minutes ago Eugene had managed to pull him back from. Trembling Sam backed away from the door and from Eugene until he hit the wall hard, sliding down the panelling he pulled his knees up close and pushed himself into a corner. Trying to make himself as small as possible, 'where's Deanie? I want Deanie.' He wept in a singsong voice of a small child. 'I wanna go home to my Deanie.'

'Damn it.' Eugene cussed aloud striding out of the room he shut the double doors behind him, hating to leave Sam alone but he had to get rid of the older brother.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

* * *

CHAPTER 11

Cabin 12

Plains Cabin Motel

Dresden, Kansas

February 2006

Dean sat watching over the older Sam as he slept, he could see the lines of pain clearly etched on the man's face. Over the last few days since the arrival of the ring, he has watched Samuel slowly start to deteriorate both physically and emotionally.

He thought his Sam was moody but this one is more than moody, he's downright morose.

He fingered the ring idly turning it in his fingertips traced the dragon and glanced down at it every so often. The ring was the key but how and why, now it was becoming a dead weight dragging them all down.

Then there is Jonas regularly popping in to check up on them, Dean shook his head and made a decision. Pocketing the ring he glanced down at the still sleeping Samuel before he made a salt ring around the bed and then made a salt line across the doors and windows before he slipped out, locking the cabin's front door behind him.

Taking a deep breath in the cool morning air Dean limped across the camping area to where he knew Jonas stayed, for the first time he realised just what a good view the old man had of their cabin. But, he couldn't leave the cabin it was the only link between him and his lost brother.

Frowning he straightened his shoulders and knocked on the door, 'Jonas you in there?' he called knocking a little harder the next time, his patience long gone.

'Dean? My boy is something wrong?' Jonas asked hurrying towards him from the rear of the cabin.

'No, no Sam is asleep and ah I was ah bored just wanted to chat.' Dean stumbled a little over his words, surprised at the man's sudden appearance.

'Fine then, how about some coffee? I was about to go in and make a pot.' Jonas grinned, trying to hide his initial shock at seeing the hunter standing on his doorstep.

'Thanks, I ah need to keep an eye on the cabin though,' Dean said glancing back at the small building where Samuel slept.

'Well how about you sit right down here and I'll go fetch the coffee and we can have it here.' The old man's grin grew as he disappeared inside the cabin before Dean could argue.

* * *

'Get rid of him Jonas.' Jessica hissed when Jonas closed the door behind him, 'he can't know about me.'

'Shush you mouth girly and let me do my job.' Jonas hissed. 'I got everything under control.'

'What? What can you do here that you couldn't do back in your own time?'

'Stop the murder suicide for a start and then, then we can work on getting the ring and Augustine's scroll.'

'Scroll? What scroll? I thought that we only had to get the ring.'

'The ring is the key to the scroll, Augustine was a cagey old fool, but I worked it out.'

Jonas poured the coffee and then tipped a vial of liquid into one of the mugs, 'just a little insurance.' He grinned. Piling cookies on a plate, he carried the tray laden with drink and food back out to the porch and his impromptu guest.

* * *

Dean listened to the conversation intently, chewing his lip he tried to work out where he had heard that woman's voice before and the name Jessica. Surely a coincidence because Sam's Jess died two years ago.

The rest made him shiver uncontrollably, a murder suicide, a mysterious scroll and that cursed ring ... Dean heard Jonas coming back, struggling with the tray he banged it against the door as he went to open it, so Dean sat back down on the porch couch and watched his cabin. His thoughts scattered now, wanting to protect both Sam's against this curse and against a homicidal version of himself. When he reaches the same age would he become a murderer as well?

'Dean are you alright son?' Jonas broke through Dean's thoughts as he placed the tray down on a small folding table.

'Huh? Oh sorry just daydreaming,' Dean grinned, 'ah can I give you a hand?'

'Nope all under control, there's your coffee, cream, and sugar if you need it.'

'Thanks but the only way to drink coffee is black, pure, and unadulterated,' Dean's grin widened, 'nectar of the Gods.'

'Amen to that son,' Jonas nodded in agreement, 'cookie?'

'Ah thanks coffee is fine,' Dean took a sip and coughed as the slightly sour coffee tickled his throat. 'Whoa different.'

'My own blend of coffee beans, gives it a bit of a kick doesn't it.' Jonas chuckled.

'Yeah, yeah it does.' Dean took another mouthful and politely drank it, swearing silently not to be so gullible again.

'So Dean what brings you over here?'

Dean stared at the cabin, sipped the spiked hot drink, and gave his answer some thought, 'well like I said I was bored, watching Sam sleep is a little like watching paint dry. So I thought I might come over and get to know you a bit better, you know I never got a chance to thank you for all of the help you gave me and Sam when I got shot and stuff.'

'Glad I could be of some help, so what would you like to know?'

'Oh I dunno now, it was a good idea when I thought of it,' Dean admitted ruefully, 'so Jonas you been staying here for long? I mean um were you here for long before me and Sam arrived?'

'Oh a while yes, I'm a bit of a historian and have been researching a lot of local history and an old mystery has me intrigued.'

'Yeah?' Dean's interest piqued the moment a mystery was mentioned.

'Yeah, story goes that these two brothers lived in a manor house not far from here, they worked as private investigators in the late nineteenth century. Something happened and they disappeared, vanished no one knows where or why, or if they had met with foul play. Got the old imagination working overtime ya'll know.'

'Yeah, yeah I do, so what's their names?'

'Funny you should mention that, Dean and Samuel just like you and your brother.'

'Gee yeah what a coincidence,' Dean spluttered slightly, 'ah thanks for the coffee but I think I see movement, I had better get back to Samuel.'

'Anytime son, anytime I'm not far away.'

Dean stood up and felt a little light-headed; deciding it must have been because of his injured leg and sitting for too long in one position, he thought no more of it as he limped carefully back to Samuel. His mind filled with more what-if questions.

'Hey Samuel you up yet?' he called unlocking the front door.

'Deanie?' a frightened voice whispered from a corner behind the door, slamming it Dean let his eyes grow accustomed to the dull light after being outside and then he let his gaze roam to find the source of. 'Sammy?' he cried out seeing his brother hunched against the wall, his knees pulled up tight and long arms wrapped around them. 'Deanie? I want Deanie, I want my big brother.'

'Sammy, hey Sammy it's me ... it's Dean.' He crouched down in front of his brother and reached out to cup his hands around Sam's face forcing the distraught young man to look at him.

'Dean?' Sam whispered his voice choked with tears.

'Yeah Dude it's me,' Dean grinned happy to see the younger version of Sam once again.

'Deanie ... I'm scared.' Sam whispered, 'the other one is here and he's going to ...'

'To what Sammy? What is it?'

'He's coming Dean, please help me.' Sam cried not caring about his own pride anymore as the tears rolled down his face, 'I can't go back there Dean, I can't go back to Daimonledge. I'll kill myself first.'

'Sam don't you dare say things like that, I am going to work out a way to get you back. Just hang in there bro it's not for much longer.'

'I mean it Dean if they send me back I would rather die than ... no Dean please no don't...' Sam's form faded and flickered as the transformation took over replacing the two Sam's in their wrong times once again. The rip in time still gaping wide open, now festering and oozing with puss as the evil infection spreads.

'Dean?' Samuel blinked and stared up at the devastated look in Dean's eyes, 'it happened again didn't it?'

'Yeah, yeah it did,' Dean helped Samuel up and then disappeared into the bathroom, sounds of retching echoed through the silent cabin seconds later. Samuel sighed and wearily sat down on his bed, his entire body ached, but not just a tired ache, he could feel every injury the younger version of himself sustained. Including also the abuse that he would never tell Dean about. He found himself wondering if he could have survived the same treatment when he was twenty-four.

He looked up as he heard the bathroom door open and tried to give a reassuring smile to Dean but it died on his lips when he saw the look in his eyes. 'Are you alright Dean?' he asked standing awkwardly he moved to the younger version of his brother. 'What is it?'

'What? Nothing headache that's all,' Dean growled, 'what's wrong with you?'

'Dean?'

'Yeah that's my name don't wear it out,' Dean thundered as he pushed past Sam and went to the fridge, 'where's all the beer?'

'Where you left it, what is wrong Dean?'

'Nothing I told you just got a killer headache and don't need your whining to add to it.'

'Dean this is not ... where did you go before?'

'Out.'

'You went to see Jonas?'

'What you a psychic boy too are ya?'

'Dean he is dangerous, why would you?'

'How do you know that he's dangerous? What did he ever do to you?'

'He murdered me Dean.' Samuel said softly.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry it has taken so long between updates. I started University this week and with O Week up there last week I haven't had the time or the energy to get much writing done, but however now I have my timetable I can organise myself to write as well as study! ;-)

* * *

CHAPTER 12

Manor de Joi

Home of Dr Eugene Cross

Dresden Kansas

February 1878

Dean stood over Eugene's body his back rigid with fury, 'get out here now Samuel before anyone else dies.' He bellowed.

'No,' the soft wail came from behind the closed door, with a cold grin he strode to the doors and threw them open. He saw Sam crouched in a corner with his long arms wrapped around his drawn up knees.

'Samuel stand up.' He ordered reaching down to grab Sam's arm when a fist collided with his nose. 'Get up Samuel now!'

'Leave me alone,' Sam growled turning his face up to see Dean's clearly, 'you are not my brother.'

'You are Samuel Winchester that is good enough for me.' Dean replied, 'now be sensible and come along with me please.'

'Leave ... me ... alone.' Sam emphasised each word as he pushed himself up the wall, 'get out of here Dean.'

'Stop these hysterics Samuel they really are becoming tiresome.'

'Mister Winchester?' A voice called from the hallway making Sam flinch and push further away from Dean.

'He's here.' Dean smirked, glaring at Sam, 'if you don't want to come home with me now you will be returning to Daimonledge, it is your choice.'

Sam stared at Dean in horror as his gaze slid over to Elias standing in the doorway holding a straight jacket, frantically he his stare moved from one man to the other, his heart beating so hard he thought it would burst.

Desperately he slid along the wall keeping an eye on both of the men, when he heard Emiline scream, Dean and Elias reacted and turned to where the scream came from, Dean cursing under his breath when he realised that she must have discovered the dead Eugene.

Taking the momentary break in tension Sam ran, as fast as he could he ran to the doors dividing the study and the dining room. Slamming it and ramming a chair against it he kept running out to the terrace. In his berserker rush, he crashed into the furniture and sent a large vase flying across the Italian tiles shattering the fragile china instantly. Without stopping, Sam kept running he could hear Elias and Dean behind him yelling at each other trying to corner him. He slipped and skidded into a tree before reaching the far wall of the garden, scrambling over it he dropped down the other side landing awkwardly on his left ankle. Trying to run he dragged his injured foot slightly as he disappeared into the alleyways behind Eugene's manor.

By the time, Dean and Elias got to their buggy and around to where they saw Sam heading he was gone. smudges of blood the only indication of which way he went but soon even that trail ended.

Swearing again Dean struck the horses viciously with the reigns and ordered Elias out; he could find his own way back to wherever he came from. Dean had a hunt on.

* * *

Sam shivered and wrapped his arms around his body trying to keep warm, his injured ankle throbbed with each limp as he wandered aimlessly through the alleys and backstreets, trying to stay away from the main roads.

He still couldn't work out how this could have happened in the first place, why mess with the time line? Then he stopped and shook his head, he had never thought about it before. If he died in the time then the demon would have free reign in the future. With a chance to take the next chosen one without the effort and fight needed against the Winchester family.

Wincing after shaking his head Sam lifted a finger to feel along his forehead, he could feel the blood congealing on his temple, he didn't even realise that he had hit his head or when.

Stumbling Sam fell to his hands and knees exhausted he crawled over to a wall and huddled against it, resting his head on his knees he tried to make himself as small as possible.

'Hey Darlin' whatcha doin' down 'ere?'

Sam lifted his head enough to look at the new intruder, he saw a pretty girl, with blond hair and sparkling blue eyes.

'Hey I aint gonna bite, well not til I get ta now ya'll better.'

'Sam,' he whispered hoarsely, 'name's Sam.'

'Hey Sam I'm called Jessica but I like Jess, pleased ta meet ya Sam,' she held a dirty but dainty hand out to him, 'whatcha doin' 'ere Sam?'

'Got no where else.' Sam said taking her dainty fingers in his own; she looked so much like ... now it was getting too freaky.

'I ah got a small room, taint much but ya'll welcome ta stay.'

'You don't even know me Jess; I could be an axe murderer or something.' Sam said with a small smile for the young woman, standing up he stretched to his full height and visibly winced when he put his weight on his left foot.

'Ya hurt?'

'I think I twisted my ankle.' Sam muttered embarrassed to seem so weak in front of the young woman.

'That does it, aint ya stayin' out 'ere.' Jess smiled brighter, slipped under his arm, and wrapped hers around his slim waist. 'Okay ya'll a wee bit taller than I thought but don't matta.'

'Thanks Jess, I ah appreciate it.'

'My ya'll speak so nice, whatcha doin' round 'ere Sam, taint a good area.'

'Why are you here?'

'Coz well I can't ... I aint no good so I ...' Jess' voice drifted off as she searched to explain why she ended up living in the slum area. 'Let's get ya outta ta weatha.' Jess finished as a misting rain started falling.

'Hey Jess, gota anotha one?' a random voice called from the shadows, but Jess just giggled and kept moving helping Sam manoeuvre through the debris scattered around the alley. Finally, the reached a small timber building that was in desperate need of a coat of paint, one window peeked through the fractured wood and a plain door the only signs of entry.

'Ya right ta go up ta steps?' Jess asked frowning slightly she had forgotten about the front steps. Sam blinked down at her and then gave in imperceptible nod and adjusted his weight slightly to take it off Jess' slight shoulders.

Awkwardly they made their way up one step at a time, leaving Sam winded and exhausted, the trauma of the day finally catching up with him.

'Just in 'ere,' Jess coached him, 'that's it, ya'll take the bed Sam.'

'No, no Jess I can't...'

'Nope aint taking no, ya'll need it more'n me.'

Sam sat down on the edge of the bed relieved to be off his injured ankle, blinking through his long fringe he stared around at the room, neat and tidy with tiny broken ornaments and scraps of lace making it look more like a home.

'Sam, ya'll don' mind me askin' but ya'll wearin' gentleman's clothes whatcha doin' down the scrubs?'

'It's a long story Jess,' Sam replied, 'one even I don't quite believe.' He gave her a small lopsided grin, although it faded as quickly as it came, replaced with a grimace of pain.

'Ah time for that lata, right now, ya'll need some cleanin' up.' Jess went to her small kitchen and gathered a few things, 'I'll be right back.'

Sam stretched out on the bed and sighed heavily, unable to comprehend everything that had just happened, Eugene was dead at the hands of Dean Winchester, but not his Dean one from a time so alien to Sam and yet it is now his home. A lone tear escaped as he thought of his time and of his brother Dean. The gap widening in the time dividing them.

'Sam?' Jess spoke quietly as she came back juggling a bowl of water and clean rages, but mercifully sleep claimed him. Humming to herself Jess gently washed away the dirt and dried blood on Sam's face, her breath catching in her throat as she stared at him, he truly was handsome.

Carefully as she could she undid his buttons and slipped his shirt over his shoulders examining him for any other signs of injury. Her mouth dropped open forming a small o when she saw the fading bruises and cuts decorating Sam's torso and around onto his back. Knowing that she had to bandage his ankle somehow Jess sat back and stared at his trousers. Taking a breath she whispered sorry to the unconscious man she undid the fastenings and slipped his pants down and off, thinking of mending them for him when she saw the rips on the knees, he must have had some fall that was for sure.

Standing over him she regarded his body appreciatively. The length of his muscular legs and the slim hips and waist but he had a wasted look, as though he had been ill for some time.

Forcing herself to look away from the rest of him she concentrated on Sam's ankle, the joint already swollen and was turning a strange purple-black in colour. 'Sorry Sam this is going to hurt.' She murmured as she lifted his foot and rested it on her knee before starting to bind the ankle tightly.

When finished Jess started to cover him with the scratchy blanket on her bed when she noticed deep bruising on his hips and upper legs. Her eyes widened as she realised that they were the shape of a man's hands. Someone had held him face down gripping his hips, her hand fluttered to her mouth as she worked out what had happened to him.

Quickly she covered his abused body and busied herself by making sure that Sam was warm and comfortable, she mended his clothes and washed the sweat from his face as he tossed in the midst of another nightmare.

'Jess?' Sam whispered opening his eyes slightly he tried to focus on the young woman, 'we're gonna be late for our lecture.'

'Sam?' Jess stood up and put her sewing down on the seat before going over to Sam and perched herself on the edge of the bed. 'Sam tis me Jessica, ya'll was hurt an' I helped ya.'

'Jess? No but you're dead.' Sam cried out pushing away from the gentle hand, 'you-you died in the fire.'

'Sam, Hon, I dunno who you think I is, but I aint your Jess.'

'Not my Jess?' Sam murmured trying to make sense of the jumbled thoughts in his mind.

'Where's Dean?'

'Who's Dean?'

'My, my brother.'

'Oh I'm not sure, I found you wandering around the alleys about a week ago.'

'A week?'

'Yep you've been running a feva since I brough ya here.'

'Oh I remember,' Sam winced as the memory of the other Dean murdering Eugene and his attempt at taking Sam back to the asylum.

'Feel like some soup?'

'Thanks Jess did you say that I've been here a week?'

'Aye that's right.'

'Shit.'

'What Sam?'

'It can't be a week ... Dean.' Sam said trying to push himself up off the bed.

'Sam! Where are ya going?'

'Don't touch me!' Sam hissed pushing himself backwards he jumped up and moved towards the door, 'where are my clothes?'

'Right 'ere, I mended ya pants.' Jess said holding the garment out to him. His chest heaving Sam reached out and took them from her as he put his trousers back on he realised something. 'Who undressed me?'

'I – I did.' Jess said nervously she didn't expect such a violent reaction from the young man.

'You? You saw?' Sam's eyes widened in realisation, his pale face stained with red from humiliation.

'I only did see all ya bruises and...'

'And what?' Sam snapped out but then he saw the tears forming in the young woman's blue eyes and he faltered, pressing his back against the wall he ran a shaking hand over his face, 'I'm sorry Jess I shouldn't have yelled at you.'

'I did see ya back,' Jess admitted her voice barely audible, 'ya got such scars Sam I – I cleaned em as best as I could.'

'Thank you, just ... no one has ... I mean no one has seen ...' Sam turned away even more embarrassed, 'I have to finish dressing,' he mumbled.

'I am so sorry Sam.'

'Don't pity me Jess, I couldn't take it not from you.' Sam said turning his burning face away from the young woman.

'I aint ta pityin' type Sam, I jus' wanna help.'

'You've done more for me than you could possibly know, but I have to go, I have to find my way home.'

'To Dean?' Jess asked her voice thick with jealousy.

'How do you know that name?'

'Ya'll kept callin' it.'

'He's my brother, the only family I have left.' Sam muttered fully dressed he turned to face her again, 'I don't belong here Jess.' He added softly.

'I – I can help you.'

'No, no Jess I can't let you get hurt,' Sam said, his gaze roaming over her lithe figure, her long blond hair framing her face and those large pale blue eyes. She looked so much like his Jess, it was too freaky for words. Perhaps that this was all a dream and that he will wake up with Dean taking stupid photos of him.

'Sam?' Jess asked timidly when he seemed to drift away, 'are ya alright?'

'Yeah, yeah I'm fine Jess thanks.' Sam smiled down at her, 'and feeling a lot better too thank you.'

'Tis my pleasure Sam, but ya aint better nuff to go roamin' again.'

'I have to, it's been too long ... I have to get back before it's too late.'

'Sam? Ya not makin' much sense.'

'I have to get back to the house, that's the only place I can make things right again.' Sam muttered more to himself than Jess. Taking her in his arms he bent down and kissed her deeply, 'thank you for all of your help Jessica.'

'Taint goodbye Sam, ya ankle there, tis still swollen, an' anyway ya'll only get lost round here,' Jess said firmly, 'at least lemme take ya back to where ya need to go, I know pretty much all of this place.'

'I can't let you...'

'Nope told ya aint takin' no at all.' Jess grinned reaching up she cupped his cheek, 'ya stuck with me Sam.'

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

CHAPTER 13

* * *

Cabin 12

Plains Cabin Motel

Dresden, Kansas

February 2006

Dean sat back and stared at the older Sam in shock, 'he did what?' he whispered hoarsely, images of a dead Sam lying on the floor in front of him floated in front of his eyes.

'Jonas, I am not sure what he is, we always considered him to be more of a father figure to us, and he helped raise me when our mother died in the fire.'

'Your mother died in a fire.' Dean repeated dully, 'Samuel can you tell me more of that event?'

'Yes, she died in my nursery actually they think that one of the nurses left a candle burning close too the curtains, my mother came in and tried to put it out her gown caught on fire and she perished. My father managed to take me from my crib and placed me in Dean's arms. The three of us got out along with Jonas and my wet nurse Millie.'

'This is too freaking freaky for words,' Dean muttered more to himself than to the other Sam, 'then what?'

'Father did his best for us but … we were raised by our nurses and Jonas he saw to everything we needed as children and even as adults after we lost father.' Samuel stopped speaking and turned to stare out the window, 'Jonas changed when I was around sixteen years old I guess. Nothing specific, nothing you could point a finger at and say see the change in him. No it was small subtle things, the way he spoke to us, at times almost impatient, condescending but then he was normal again, just like the Jonas we loved and cared for. But things changed after Dean received that cursed ring in the mail. He had Jonas both changed and I must admit not for the better. Dean became convinced that I was ... deranged, possibly possessed because I had the visions and dreams. You must realise Dean that in my time to be able to predict things well many considered it insanity or that they declared you a charlatan and fake. He used to beat me to try and rid me of the demons he was convinced that I harboured, either that or the evil vapours I had inside of me making me weaker and ill had to be purged by violence. Though, if he did not wear the ring he was fine, and we were closer than just brothers.

Just after Dean's fortieth birthday, he became particularly violent towards me, his eyes changed colour and were a sickly yellow in hue. I do not remember a great deal of exactly what happened as he beat me unconscious twice then said he was calling them to take me to the sanatorium. Jonas I thought was trying to quieten Dean down but just the opposite. I could hear them arguing over the ring. Jonas demanded that Dean had it over and Dean being the stubborn ass he was, refused to give it to him. So, Jonas pulled out a pistol and shot Dean, the last thing I remember was Jonas standing over me with the gun aimed at my chest.' Samuel stopped speaking and turned sad eyes to his brother's facsimile, 'but then things changed and I was back with Dean beating me with his cane and – and I remember going upstairs to bathe and tend to my wounds when it all went black. That is when I woke up here and your Samuel became stuck in my time.'

Dean sat in silence running Samuel's tale in his mind a few times, his horror at their brutal life and death resonated with his already growing tumour of guilt festering inside. Sam would never know just how much Dean regretted the way he treated his younger brother, the beatings he dealt out in the name of training, of trying to toughen the kid up for his father. All of it now sat like a rock in the pit of his stomach. 'Are you sure that Jonas is the same man?' He asked finally breaking the impromptu silence.

'Yes, yes I have the same strange feeling around Jonas now that I had back then. After he had started to change.'

'Can you tell me about then, when Jonas did show signs of changing?'

'He, he went away from a couple of days, said that an ailing relative was dying and needed help. We were more than happy for him to go and help. But it was after his return from that visit...'

'And the ring seems to be the key?' Dean asked absently, rubbing the jewel with his finger, almost in a loving caress.

'Yes I a certain of it, the ring is dangerous Dean.'

'Uhhuh, so what do you want to do with this then?' Dean asked holding the ring and box up, the small piece of jewellery sitting square on the palm of his hand.

'We need it to bring Sammy back and for me to return to my own time that is for sure but after that, it needs to be destroyed.'

'Ah I see.'

'Dean please listen to me ... it is a dangerous object. It is cursed.'

'So geek boy from the past hows about you find out why people think that it is cursed.' Dean snarled suddenly feeling his rage boil over again, he stared down at his shaking fist and then up at the older version of his Sam. if it wasn't for this man his Sammy would be right here with him and not fighting for his life in a forgotten time and place. Frustrated Dean grabbed his jacket and limped towards the front door, 'I will be back in a while Samuel I have to get fresh air.'

'Yes of course Dean, I understand.' Samuel said his eyes downcast in their normally familiar submissive action.

'Here put this away, anywhere where I can't see it.' Dean said throwing the ring at Samuel, 'I don't want to know where it is.'

'I understand Dean, and thank you.'

'Don't thank me yet.' Dean grumbled feeling the rage subside as he moved further away from the cursed object. As he placed his hand on the door Dean turned and stared at Samuel his eyes wide with realisation, 'Samuel if I have the ring here and now ... sent from my Sam in your time...'

'Then does my Dean still have his version of it?' Samuel finished for him, 'and if so how can that be? Are there two rings?'

'Pray to whatever Gods you do pray to that there is only the one and we have it.' Dean muttered as he limped outside into the fresh evening air.

* * *

Jonas cursed and watched as Dean limped away from the cabin intent on going for a walk, his hands hanging freely by his sides, no sign of the ring anywhere. 'That means that Samuel has it,' Jessica hissed behind him. 'Go and get it back.'

'I can't let Samuel know that I am who he remembers.' Jonas shot back, 'he will recognise you soon too you know.'

'Dean didn't.' Jess smiled as she wrapped her arms around Jonas' shoulders, 'so why should Sammy?'

'First because he is not Sammy he is Samuel and second the man was in love with you.'

'Well there is that.' Jess smiled, 'he did latch on to me quickly didn't he.'

'Especially when he thought that you were going to look after him,' Jonas chuckled, 'we even had Dean fooled for a while.'

'Yeah, you know I can go back into my disguise as the forlorn and lost fallen woman, needing someone to save me.'

'No, no that is too obvious we need to distract the brothers.'

'We tried drugging them and that didn't work.'

'True no we need to divide and conquer, first though we need to get the two Sam's back in their own times.'

'Now that is going to be interesting, why I thought that you were going to kill the older Samuel here.'

'Too easy and this Dean is not as unbalanced as the other one, he is also a lot smarter and a lot quicker on the up take, no, no we need a plan, a foolproof plan that will get us all four of the Winchesters right where we want them.'

'Mmm sounds good Precious,' Jess purred into Jonas' ear, 'when do you want to start?'

'The morning will be soon enough.' The demon rumbled as he turned to face his female, 'we need to let off some steam tonight; it is hard maintaining an old body for so long.'

'Hmm perhaps you are getting old in your old age.' Jess shot back, 'maybe it is time to find me a stud.'

'Try little girl, just try and your true image will scare him straight down to Hades the non-stop way.'

* * *

Dean sat on the rocks and stared out at nothing in particular. He kept running through his thoughts his conversations with Jonas and Samuel; they seemed to corroborate each other's versions of the events but something still felt wrong.

A sharp pain shot through his left eye making him squeeze his eyes closed, his left hand moved to the bridge of his nose, feeling as though he was about to have a nose bleed. Instead, a humming filled his ears and his body felt thick and heavy. 'Fuck that old coot he drugged me,' the thought ran through Dean's mind as he fought the fogginess and confusion. 'Special blend be damned.'

Feeling the sudden urge to lie down Dean stood up and went to find his way back to the cabin and thoughts of a warm soft bed. As the last of the darkness descended on him Dean lay unconscious at the bottom of a ravine. One leg twisted viciously underneath him, the other sprawled out, his knee and hip and a strange angle to the rest of his body. A deep cut on the left side of his temple as well as other bruises seemed to be more of an external but he didn't seem to mind

As he took a step forward, Dean felt a clutching at his heart and blinding pain in his neck and head. 'fuck ... Jessica ... no ... Samuel.' Dean muttered as he realised where he had seen her face before. The coldness in her eyes and the odd colouring made him more than just a little suspicious. Collapsing to the ground wheezing harshly, Dean tried to make his frozen fingers work to call Sam on his mobile. Not realising that the Samuel who waited for him at the cabin was not his Sammy. Samuel, who probably had never had a mobile in his hands let alone used one.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

* * *

CHAPTER 14

Chambre de la Mort

Winchester's House

Dresden Kansas

February 1878

Sam sat up breathing rapidly; he stared uncomprehendingly at the young woman sitting next to him terrified, then up at the small group of people gathering around them. He remembered being dizzy, and the onslaught of the headache and vision. 'Ah I'm fine,' he mumbled as someone bent down to help him up. 'Just got a little dizzy that's all.'

'A young man like you needs to eat more,' an elderly lady said kindly, 'ya need to put meat on those sticks of yours.'

'Thanks Ma'am that is it I guess, I haven't eaten today.' Sam said blushing furiously, 'honestly I am fine.'

'Very good then, is there somewhere you need to go?' An older man with jet black hair and a van dyke goatee asked Sam holding his hand out to help him up. 'I have my buggy here and it is at your service young Sir.'

'Thank you but I will be fine; actually I am only a block from my house.' Sam said slipping into his historical persona, 'I truly appreciate your concern though.'

'Ah now I know you, you're Samuel ... Dean's younger brother.' The man said his smile widening, 'your brother still owes me for our last card game, Priestly is the name, George Priestly.'

'Thank you Mister Priestly and yes I am Dean's younger brother, I will of course pass on your message to him.'

'Do that young man and tell him I look forward to beating his ass next time as well.' George Priestly laughed and strode away waving at Sam and completely ignoring the young whore with him.

'Come on Sam, we's gotta get ya outta here an' home.' Jess mumbled sadly.

'Why did he treat you like that? Why did they all treat you like a?'

'A whore?' Jess interrupted him bitterly, 'Sam honey-chil' that's what I am.'

'A whore?'

'Yep, well yeah I guess that works.'

'Why?'

'Coz I gotta eat an' pay's my way.' Jess said matter-of-factly, 'tis my lot in life an' I know that.'

The stopped in front of the door and Sam pulled back slightly, the memories came flooding back, the beatings and the betrayal. Could he really come back to a man like this Dean Winchester? But, he knew deep down if he wanted to get back to his own time and to his own Dean then he had to do this.

Taking a heaving breath Sam limped slowly up the steps and tentatively raised the knocker. Jonas opened the door and taking one look at Sam wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist and greeted him warmly. He gave Jess an imperceptible nod in acknowledging her presence before acting like the worried guardian he should be.

'Thank you young miss, if you will go around to the back door, then cook will give you some food and fresh milk for your trouble.'

'Thank ya kindly Sir, I hope that you will be okay now Sam.'

'Thanks for everything Jess, I meant that thank you.' Sam turned his head and smiled at the young woman before leaning heavily on Jonas letting the older man to guide him upstairs.

After a hot tub and scrubbing himself as clean as he could possibly, he grudgingly allowed Jonas to dress his various wounds before he finished dressing. 'Tell me Jonas where is my brother?'

'He had to go to New Orleans on business; he'll be back tomorrow I think.'

'Oh good, thank you Jonas, I might lie down and have a sleep I am rather exhausted.'

'Very good young Master, would you like to get some medication for you? You look to be in a great deal of pain.'

'No, no thanks I just need to have a good night's sleep that's all.' Sam smiled using the wounded puppy look with his eyes to get his own way.

'Very good then, if you need me then just ring the bell otherwise I will see you in the morning.'

'Thanks Jonas for everything.' Sam said softly through a smothered yawn. 'I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you.'

'No need to thank me it's my pleasure to look after you two boys.' Jonas said as he pulled the double doors closed and darkness draped itself over the room's interior.

Sam lay on the bed listening to Jonas' retreating footsteps, before gingerly pushing himself up limping slowly, he crossed to the door and paused listening for any signs of movement, and cautiously he slid out of his room and made his way to Dean's suite. Taking the advantage of the elder Winchester's absence and what he saw in his latest vision sam had to act quickly. Waiting for his eyes to grow accustomed to the dull lighting Sam stealthily moved around the room silently picking up various books and papers littering Dean's desk. An odd looking lead box caught Sam's attention and sinking down onto the chair he glanced around before looking inside it. A small smile played on his dry and cracked lips, finally something was going his way. Inside the box lay that ring with a small piece of paper. Without hesitating Sam found a pencil, scribbled a quick note to Dean before wrapping the parcel up, and neatly printed Dean's name and the address of the camping ground where their cabin was. Knowing that Dean wouldn't leave the cabin until they could fix things. He also knew that this was a long shot but it was all he had, hoping that it will eventually lead itself to Dean, his Dean. At least the ring will be far away from the Dean in this time, perhaps he will be able to convince the older man that he was telling the truth all along.

'What are you doing in here Samuel?' Jonas asked startling Sam, spinning around Sam blinked at the manservant confused for a moment. 'What are you doing in your brother's room?'

'I ah ... needed paper I wanted ... wanted to write to my young lady to let her know that I am alright.' Sam finished thankful of the dull lighting hiding his embarrassed flush.

'Oh very good, but you must rest young Master, you have been through quite an ordeal.'

'Yes, yes that is true. Jonas could you please mail this for me? I am feeling exhausted of all a sudden, I guess I am weaker than I thought.'

'It will be my pleasure young Sir, now let us get you to bed.'

Sam nodded his head warily; a shudder passing through him when Jonas brought up putting him to bed, forcing himself to calm down Sam allowed the caring man to lead him back to his room and to fuss around him, making him comfortable.

'Thank you Jonas for everything.' Sam said smiling warmly at the older man, 'you make it bearable for me.'

'Thank you Samuel,' Jonas gave the younger version of his Samuel a small knowing smile, 'I will go and fix you a warm mug of cocoa to help you sleep.'

Sam sighed and rested his head against the soft down pillows, his body ached, but for the first time since his abrupt arrival Sam felt some of the weight on his shoulders start to fall away.

Jonas reappeared with a mug of creamy hot chocolate and a draught of medication left for Samuel by the doctors. 'It's nothing but a mild sleeping potion, the doctor wants you to get some rest.'

Sam sniffed the liquid and swallowed it quickly, screwing his nose up he took a long swig of the sweet hot chocolate to wash away the foul taste. 'Eww that was foul Jonas.'

'Usually what is the best for us tastes the worst.' Jonas said swallowing down on a fit of laughter at the sight of Sam's face. 'Now if you need me ring your bell otherwise have a good sleep Samuel.'

'Thanks Jonas, my friend.' Sam mumbled as the sleeping draught started to work immediately and his eyes started to flutter closed.

Jonas stood staring at the sleeping youth for a few minutes, he fingered the small parcel in his hands knowing that the right thing was to send the ring on, perhaps his own modern version will be able to intercede it and correct things.

A dark shadow filled Jonas' eyes, as he stared at the vulnerable Sam, lying soundly asleep unaware of what was about to happen to him. Rubbing his cheek thoughtfully he moved to the doors and opened them wide.

'He's sleeping soundly; the draught will work for at least six hours.' He said gruffly annoyed with himself for letting the young Winchester descendant get to him.

'And he has no idea that I am here?' Dean asked moving out of the shadows and directly into Sam's room stopping a short distance to the bed, he kept his eyes on the face of his sleeping 'brother'. 'He will not wake?'

'No Sir, I measured the drug out myself he has the correct dosage.'

'Where was he, this past week?'

'A young woman helped him; she brought him back here without worry. I gave her some compensation for her efforts.'

'Very good, and she is gone now?'

'Taken care of Sir yes.'

'I do love my brother you know that don't you Jonas. What I am doing I am doing for his benefit and wellbeing.'

'Yes I understand that perfectly Sir.'

'He can't have these visions and expect people to believe them. He needs the evil driven from him, instead it is burrowing deeper inside him.'

Even in the candle lit room Jonas could see the fanatical look shining brightly in Dean's eyes, a shiver ran down Jonas' spine as he forced himself to look back at the unwitting victim of another man's insanity.

Dean moved closer to the bed and stared down at Sam with an unadulterated look of hatred on his handsome face. His brother now a liability to him instead of a loving sibling and partner in business. A noose around Dean's neck. 'You can come in now Doctor.'

'Thank you for alerting me to your brother's recapture, it is extremely important for Samuel's recovery that he continues with the therapies I started before that hapless do-gooder helped him to escape.'

'I understand completely doctor, I only want what is best for my brother, he is my world, the only relative I have alive. I do not know what I would do without my Dear One.'

'I understand Mister Winchester, and your brother will be a lot better after the treatments, however, there is a small problem.'

'Problem?' Dean snarled turning a murderous look on his handsome face.

'Just a small monitory matter, your account needs to be rectified before I can readmit Samuel.'

'See Jonas on your way out and he will give you more than enough funds to cover his stay from start to finish.' Dean stated dispassionately. 'Now please although it pains me to see Samuel so helpless like this I need you to help him, so please take him now before I change my mind.' Adding a sniff and swipe of his embroidered handkerchief.

Two burly looking Sentinels came in carrying a modified stretcher, effortlessly they picked up the unmoving Sam and dropped him onto the canvas stretcher, silently they fastened the leather restraints around his wrists and ankles as well as his neck and hips, firmly securing Sam to the contraption.

A rough horse blanket covered his barely clothed body but effectively hid the restraints from prying eyes. 'Take him through the back entrance, I do not need spectators ... my brother does not need spectators, he may have mental instability but he deserves to keep his dignity.'

'Very good Mister Winchester, I will be in touch when I have Samuel settled, he will not be in the previous area of the institute, instead I will have him in an observation room as well as the labs.'

Jonas stood in the foyer by the stairs watching them take the young Master away, his fingers still cupped around the small package, he had done all he could now it was in the hands of the fates.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

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CHAPTER 15

Unknown Cabin

Just outside Dresden, Kansas

February 1878

Sam blinked and tried to focus on where he was, he could feel motion beneath him and knew that he was trapped once again he was too trusting with the wrong person. 'Another mess Winchester, you can't help but get into a mess can you?' he berated himself as he felt the restraints bite into him when he pushed against them. 'Fine fucking fine!'

The buggy lurched to a stop suddenly sending Sam's stretcher tumbling to the floor, his breath hissed out of his already bruised lungs and the weight of the canvas stretcher held him tight against the floor. Hands gripped the contraption and rolled Sam over onto his back before sliding it out of the long wagon style ambulance.

'We do not have much time young Sir.' Jonas said as he worked on freeing Sam from the leather restraints.

'J-Jonas?' Sam blinked at the older man confusion written across his face. 'What? Where?'

'I am sorry Samuel I couldn't stand by and watch your brother send you back to that place.'

'Dean was home?'

'Yes, he was the one who forced me into giving you that sleeping draught, I only gave you enough to keep you asleep until I could get you away.'

'Why?'

'I am so sorry Samuel this was not supposed to happen this way. I'm not sure exactly why it has but you do not belong here and definitely not in that place.'

'But Dean will only hunt me down again Jonas.' Sam sighed, bone weary he was so tired of running.

'Not this time, I am sorry Sam but for all intents and purposes you're now dead.'

'Okay now you've lost me.'

'Hurry we do not have much time.' Jonas finished freeing Sam and he helped him over to a small buggy waiting for them, after making sure that his young charge was safe inside with a blanket covering his knees he went back to the ambulance and spoke quickly to the driver. Before Sam could say anything more, he watched them drop a body into the back, tossing the stretcher on top of it and then brandishing a flaming torch Jonas set the canvas covering on fire while the driver let the horses go.

Climbing up into the driver's seat Jonas turned and winked at Sam before gently slapping the horse's rump with his whip getting it to trot away; Sam sat back and rested his head against the leather seat trying to work out just what happened.

Jonas just saved him from more pain and torture; he trusted him, doubted him, and now trusted him again. Dean ... his image flood Sam's thoughts bringing unwarranted tears, how can two men be so alike and yet polar opposites? Is this a taste of things to come when Dean reaches forty?

His eyes dropped shut, no matter how hard he tried to stay awake the draught still in his system made him drowsy and the gentle rocking of the horse drawn buggy lulled him into a deep dreamless sleep. Dean's image still fixed in his mind as sleep claimed him.

'Samuel, Samuel you need to wake up now.' Jonas gently shook Sam's shoulder and waited for the young man to rouse completely. Groggily Sam tried to focus his eyes on Jonas' face but he had to be satisfied with everything as well as Jonas to be slightly blurry and out of focus.

'Jonas what is it?'

'We're here; I need you to climb down so I can get you inside.' Jonas said stepping down the step to help steady Sam as he made his way awkwardly out of the buggy. His long gangly legs not wanting to work properly buckled as he tried to balance on the step and slipped from under him.

'Easy Samuel I have you.' Jonas said gripping Sam's arms tightly he guided him down without further mishap.

'Where are we?' Sam asked leaning heavily on his rescuer they made their way into a neat little cabin.

'This was my parents' cabin, where I was born actually.' Jonas said with a grin.

'You sure about this Jonas? I don't want you to be in danger because of me.'

'I am fine Samuel. Now I had better get you settled and get back to Dean with the tragic news of your demise.'

'Jonas how am I going to get back to my own time?' Sam asked dejectedly as Jonas helped him into the big bed dominating the one room cabin.

'I have some ideas on that, and when I come back we will talk about them but for now, now you need to rest and regain your strength. I have someone here to help look after you when I am not here.'

'Who?' Sam asked suddenly panicking.

'Hello Samuel.' Jess said as she came in the cabin, 'I was just fetching some more wood for the fire when I saw your buggy.'

'Now girly he needs rest and lots of it.' Jonas told her brusquely, 'I don't want him upset or doing anything ... exertive.'

'Ya'll don't trust me?' Jessica grinned losing some of her more common accent as she spoke.

Confused Sam looked from one to the other as he fought exhaustion for control of his body. 'So you know each other?'

'You can say that young Samuel ... Jess is my daughter.' Jonas said with a broad smile.

'Daughter?' Sam blinked as he looked at the fair haired young woman and the dark skinned man next to her.

'Yeah well I pass for white in these here parts.' Jess said with a slight tinge of sadness to her voice, 'my Mama died a few years ago and it's just been me and Papa.'

'So that's how you knew where I lived and everything?'

'Sorry for the deception Sam but we had to keep you safe while you recuperated.'

'It was a coincidence though when you met Jessica, we just turned it into an advantage for us, I knew where you were at all times and was able to help with the bandages and medicines needed for your injuries.'

'Thanks.' Sam mumbled as his eyes flickered closed again, 'Jonas ... I – I ... thanks.'

'Don't mention it Son, now rest, I must return to the manor before Dean becomes suspicious.'

'Take care Papa.' Jessica said her face filled with worry, 'the ring has corrupted Dean I fear that he may turn his wrath on you now.'

'I'll be fine child; now don't let anyone in, bolt the door after I leave. I will let you know when I return with our signal. Look after him Jessica he is too important to lose.'

'I promise Papa I will look after him.' Jess smiled shyly as she watched the young man sleep, 'take care Papa.' She finished absently, brushing a kiss on her father's cheek.

Jonas took one last look at Sam before returning his daughter's kiss and slipping out the door.

Jess pulled a chair up close to Sam's bed and watched him sleep. He looked so young, so innocent it broke her heart when her father told her everything that had happened to Sam.

She knew from his injuries that it was bad but ... when she heard everything she was physically sick, how could he still survive after that? And to be separated by more than just distance from his true brother ... sighing deeply Jess laid her head down on the bed resting on Sam's hand and fell into a light sleep. Wanting to be in contact with him for both of their sakes.

Sam moaned and twisted his fingers in the sheets as the nightmare grew in intensity.

The faces of the sentinels who abused him at Daimonledge floated in his dreams, bodiless and distorted taunting him as he felt hands groping him, scratching his bare skin and the penetrations, over and over he felt his body pummelled by unseen forces, cruel laughter filling his ears drowning out all sounds. His moans grew into screams as the nightmarish attacks grew in intensity to rival the ones he suffered.

Screaming incoherently Sam sat up in the bed and stared around unaware of his new surroundings, hyperventilating he tried to calm himself when he saw Jessica's sleepy eyes staring at him. Jess? 'No, no you're dead.' He cried out scrambling backwards across the bed trying to get away from her, 'you're dead, you're not real.'

'Samuel? Please calm down; I'm not your Jess.' The young woman cried trying to stop him from falling off the bed, 'please Sam it was just a dream that's all just a dream.'

'Where am I? Where's Dean?' Sam panted out between each panicked breath.

'Your Dean is still in the future, you're safe here, and this is my Papa's cabin, Jonas he brought you here to get well.'

'Jonas?' Sam breathed out the name, frowning he forced his errant thoughts to slow down and let him work out everything. 'You're Jonas' daughter Jessica?'

'Yes, that's right.'

'And I'm stuck in a past era and the Sam from here is in my time with my Dean?' Sam asked his breathing slowing down as awareness pushed through his fogged mind.

'That's right; oh you gave me a fright Samuel.' Jessica smiled, 'so are ya hungry?'

'A little I think.' Sam nodded, 'thirsty though.'

'Glass of fresh milk coming up.' Jess jumped up and went to fix him a drink and a thick sandwich of roasted meats.

'Sam can I ask what you dreamt about? I means if you don't want to tell me that's okay.'

'I ah ... don't remember.' Sam fumbled not willing to relive the humiliation or pain of the sexual assaults. 'Sorry.'

'Nah don't worry bout it ... here we go.' Jessica helped fluff up Sam's pillows and placed the tray of food and drink on his lap. 'Nothing here but milk and food Sam, its okay.' She added when she saw the flicker of fear on his face.

'Thanks Jess.' Sam gave her a weak version of his dimpled smile and took a small nibble from the sandwich. Surprising himself Sam ate the entire sandwich and ended up drinking two glasses of the cool milk, not realising just how hungry he was.

Yawning he stretched out on the bed and within minutes slid into a deep sleep finally free of nightmares. Jess fussed around him for a while before clearing the dishes in the evening light. Then making sure that Sam was safe decided to slip outside and sit on the porch for a while taking in the crisp evening air.

'Sees I tolds ya that there's a place 'ere.' A rough voice sounded from the trees, 'an' looks like we gots ourselves some visita's.'

Startled Jess ran for the front door when rough hands grabbed her from behind, 'well, well whats we got 'ere then?'

'Looks like we gots ourselves sum fun for da night.' Another voice laughed in her ear.

Twisting Jess around they pressed her up against the wall giving her a chance to see her attackers for the first time.

'Leave me alone.' She hissed trying to claw at their large dirty hands, 'git your paws off me.'

'Teach the little bitch a lesson Harry.'

'Shut up Lionel, I's getting' there.' The one called Harry let go of one of Jess' arms to strike her viciously across her cheek, splitting her soft lip in the process.

'Ah look, it bleeds.'

'Leave her alone.' A low determined voice came from the doorway, the intruders turned to stare at the pale young man gripping a gun tightly, cocked and aimed directly at Harry. 'Back away or I will shoot.'

'Samuel please go back inside I can look after myself.' Jess cried out she could see the pain reflecting in his eyes.

'Hey looky 'ere Lionel the pup's got bite too.' Harry laughed tightening his grip on Jessica.

'Let her go now.' Sam said in the same low tone he used earlier. 'I am a perfect shot.'

'Ah Harry best we get outta 'ere.' Lionel said backing away from Sam when he saw the black look flash across Sam's face.

'Nuthin' doin' I wan' some of this 'ere lil bitch first and then might do some tastin' on the whelp as well.' Harry leered pushing Jessica in front of him, 'shoot me, and shoot her kid.'

Sam lifted the gun a little higher his gaze flickering from Jessica to the coward standing behind her to his friend standing unsteadily by them. Chewing his lower lip Sam let the minute drag out as long as possible before lowering his shaking hand.

'Git the gun Lionel.' Harry ordered pushing Jessica ahead of him, 'you back up there.' He snarled at Sam brandishing a long bladed hunting knife he unsheathed from his belt.

Sam backed into the cabin desperately trying to work out how to get Jessica out of there before she got hurt. 'Just call me trouble magnet.' He muttered under his breath, wincing unconsciously when he put weight on his injured ankle.

'Lionel ties 'im up to the chair.' Harry ordered a cold smile spreading across his face, 'we gots some fun to be havin', with these two.'

'Leave her alone.' Sam snarled balancing on his good foot he readied to launch himself at Lionel first, determined not to be a victim any longer. As Lionel grew closer Sam feinted a fall and came up with an upper cut sending the older man flying across the room. Breathing heavily Sam turned on Harry who still hid behind Jessica, 'what do you have to hide behind a woman's skirts?' he taunted their potential attacker, 'aren't you man enough?'

Harry roared in anger and threw Jessica aside as he launched himself at Sam, using brute force rather than skill. Easily sidestepping the onslaught Sam span around and placed a well aimed kick at the man's side sending him sprawling, the knife skidding on the wooden floor.

Limping Sam went to deliver the knockout blow when a hand snaked out and grabbed his bad ankle, hissing in pain he fell facedown onto the floor, the fingers digging deep into his bruised joint.

'Sam!' Jessica screamed when she saw Lionel drag Sam down and then climb on top of him pinning him facedown. Panic filled Sam and his breath caught in his throat as the memories of other attacks came flooding back in vile reality.

'Sam!' Jessica screamed again as Harry loomed over her, scrambling crab-like backwards she tried to dodge him but his large hands grabbed her legs and pulled her back towards him. A fist connected with her chin, jarring her neck and almost knocking her out. Two more punches landed heavily one to her stomach and the other to her side. Blood dribbled from her mouth, as she lay stunned under the large stranger.

'Dang Lionel this is betta than huntin' bear.' Harry laughed, 'hey watcha think bout huntin' these two?'

'Hmm her yeah but him ... he knows how to fight Harry, I don' trust im!'

'Nobble 'im first.' Harry said maliciously.

'Nobble 'im hey?' Lionel grinned, leaned forward twisting his fingers in Sam's hair, and yanked his head back until his neck strained to snapping. 'Tell me Boy you taste as good as you look?' He whispered in Sam's ear before slamming Sam's face into the floor, blood spurting from his now broken nose and his right cheek and eye started swelling immediately, a buzzing sound filled his right ear, and Sam felt his awareness slipping away. From a distance, he felt as though his clothes ripping from him and hands groping him roughly. He could hear a young woman sobbing and moaning but he couldn't focus on where she was or who she is. Dully he felt someone lifting his hips off the floor and a hand snaking around his waist. Terror filled his pain-dulled mind and he started to struggle, trying to break the grip he wasn't going to let it happen again.

'Dammit stay still Boy!' Lionel growled slamming Sam's face against the floor again. As he felt the hapless boy, go limp in his arms Lionel laughed and took a little longer in his exploration over the kid's body. Noticing the various scars, new and old over the long, lean, and hard body.

Harry slapped Jessica again finally silencing her sobs and moans, he can't abide noisy whores, but, before he took her, he sat back on his haunches and stared down at her naked body sprawled in front of him. Her pale brown skin now bruised and swollen still had an enticing appearance, frowning slightly he took a closer look, 'hey Lionel got a fuckin' half-breed 'ere ... what's about him?'

'Nah he aint got nuthin' but white in 'im, which makes it worse ... aint right hookin' up with a halfie.'

'Ya'll betta teach 'im good Lionel.'

Leaving their victims bloodied naked bodies sprawled on the cabin floor, the two hunters ransacked the place. Taking all of the food supplies as well as the few dollars Jessica had hidden in one of her shoes.

'So we still wanna hunt Harry?' Lionel asked after belching again, 'dang that roast was tasty.'

'Yeah brown bitch can cook,' Harry laughed, 'be interestin' to see that buck in action.' He finished snagging his foot under Sam's side he rolled him over, 'geeze Lionel ya did mess 'is pretty face up.'

'Wait 'til theys wake up, an' then we'll tie their 'ands togetha an' then they 'ave to get outta 'ere alive.'

'Hmm though can I have another taste of 'im afore we kill 'em?' Lionel asked licking his lips, 'jus' one more.'

'don' see why's not.' Harry said, 'the brown bitch might get another chance at a real man too.'

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

* * *

Author's Note: I know that this chapter is a bit shorter than normal but I have a reason for that, and to find out the reason you will just have to wait for the next update!! Mmmmwahahahahaha, yes I am evil and I love it!

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CHAPTER 16

Cabin 12

Plains Cabin Motel

Dresden, Kansas

February 2006

Samuel stared at the small machine making the strange noise, he vaguely remembered Dean showing him what it was and how to use it. Cautiously he pressed the flashing button and held it closer to his mouth and ear. 'Hello?' he asked not daring to speak any louder.

'Samuel ... thank ... God.'

'Dean?' Samuel shouted excitedly, 'I did it ... I worked your tiny talking thingy.'

'Good ... Sam ... listen ... to ... m-me.' Dean ground out the words, his voice fading along with his awareness. 'I – I ... fell ... Sam ... need ... you.'

'Where? Where are you Dean?' Samuel's voice rose with his panic, 'how can I help you?'

'The, the ... rocks ... back ... of ... cam ... ravine ... drop.'

'Dean? Dean are you still there?' Samuel cried out as he ran out of the cabin and headed towards the rocks as quickly as he could. Frowning in the dull twilight lighting he cursed himself for not bringing a torch or lantern or something to light the way. 'Dean?' he called into the small phone again, but all he could hear was a soft moan.

Carefully he crouched at the top of the ravine and peered over, he could just see the outline of Dean's prone body. Chewing his lower lip he worried over how to pull him out without help and without anything to use.

Finding a safe way to get down to him, he ran to the younger man and dropped to his knees next to him. Tenderly he rolled Dean over and checked him completely for injuries, his breath hitching when he felt the break in Dean's shin bone. 'Okay, I'm going to have to splint your leg Dean.' He said slowly and clearly hoping and praying that Dean could hear him.

'Do it.' Came the hoarse reply.

'Dean I ...'

'Do it.' Dean ground out, lifting a shaky hand he gripped Samuel's wrist, 'just do it.'

An hour later Samuel some how managed to get Dean back to the cabin, the young man collapsing onto the bed closest to the door. His splinted leg dangling over the edge, 'I have to get you back onto the bed.' Samuel said keeping a monotone description of everything, he was doing going for Dean's benefit, although he thought that it was more for himself to make sure that he didn't panic and fall to pieces.

The thought did hit him about why he was saving this Dean when his is turning into a psychotic killer, but they were still two very different men.

Groaning Dean opened his eyes and stared miserably up at the other Sam, just once he would like things to start going his way. Spitting up a mouthful of blood and bile Dean dragged himself up a little more until he sat propped up on the pillows.

'My leg needs casting Samuel, can you manage that?' He asked dreading the answer.

'Yes I can Dean; actually I have had to cast my Dean's leg and arm at different occasions.' Samuel grinned, 'and if I may say so I am quite good at it.'

'Great I think we have some stuff left over when Sam broke his leg, lucky he has such freaking long legs.'

As Samuel wrapped the wet plaster strips around Dean's leg he glanced up and watched Dean's face thoughtfully. 'Dean may I ask you something?'

'Go for it.'

'Can you tell me a little about your Sam, and about your childhood?'

'Ah okay, well you know that our mother died when Sam was six months old and Dad put him in my arms to get him out of the house. We always had this connection, and ahh since our Dad hunted and took us along I guess we grew up best friends as well as brothers, not that I would admit that to Sam of course. Anyway Dad wanted us to follow in the hunting as soon as we were old enough, but Sammy well he didn't ...' Dean faltered and looked away; Samuel stood up and took the last of the wet plaster away giving Dean some privacy while he cleaned up. Coming back in, he checked his handiwork and then sat down on the opposite bed, 'I take it that your Sam didn't like hunting as much as you.' He grinned.

'Yeah something like ... oh let me guess you hate it too?'

'Well our version of hunting is slightly different to yours but yes, I would prefer to study than to hunt.'

'Geeks to the end.' Dean laughed harshly, 'sorry but it is funny, two Sammy's from two different times and the pair of you are geeks.'

'I suppose that there is something amusing in it yes.'

'Yeah well when Sam graduated from high school he got into Stanford but Dad didn't want him to go ... a huge fight ensued and Sam walked out. He wouldn't speak to Dad or me for that matter for two years after that.'

'He went?'

'Yeah why?'

'I ah also got a chance to go to University ... but I ... I didn't go I let my Dean talk me out of it.'

'Ah Samuel I am sorry, for my Sammy that's where he met Jessica.'

'Jessica?'

'His girlfriend, she ah passed away not long after Sam and I got back together, no wait that sounds ... eww too much. Ah I had to go and get Sam coz Dad disappeared and I needed Sam's help to find him. We did a hunt together, no trace of Dad but when we got back to Stanford for Sam's interview with the law school, Jessica she died in a fire, pinned on the roof over Sam's head just like our Mum ... Samuel what is it?'

'My Jessica she died in a house fire when I was twenty-two, we were going to get married.'

'This is just too freaking weird for words Samuel what the fuck is going on here?' Dean ground out, just then Samuel paled and started to shimmer his corporeal form starting to fade.

'Samuel?'

'Deanie?' Sam whispered miserably, 'is that really you?'

'Sammy where are you?'

'Hiding ... Jess and I are ... we have to hide before they get us.'

'Who? Dammit Sammy who's after you?'

'Some sort of hunters ... but not ... not our kind.' Sam got out, terrified he peered around obviously looking for someone Dean couldn't see.

'Where are you Sammy?'

'Jonas' cabin, he managed to get me away from the other Dean. Dean these guys just broke in and ... and ... and attacked me and Jess.' Sam started to fade out, his emotions clouding his thoughts and concentration. 'help us Dean please help us.' He cried out as he vanished and in his place Samuel, lying unconscious and sprawled across the bed, blood dribbling from his nose.

'Fuck it Sammy, where are you?' Dean cried out thumping his bed in a fit of futile rage. What did he mean Jonas' cabin and that the old man helped him and yet here he's trying to do kill them. 'This is just too fucked up for words.'

'Dean?' Samuel murmured shaking his head, wincing with the sudden sharp pain.

'Hey Samuel you're back in one piece.'

'And your Sammy?'

'He's not so good, he said that Jonas helped him escape from the other Dean and took him to his cabin, but then these whacked out weirdo hunters are hunting Sammy and Jess I think that they did some...'

'Did, did you say Jess?' Samuel paled. 'She is ... was Jonas' daughter, but I knew her when I was twenty-two that was ten years before... the time line is all mixed up.'

'That is starting to get very strange, someone is messing with us big time.'

'I don't understand Dean, who do you think is messing with us?'

'Something or someone demonic, supernatural fucking creep who wants me and Sammy completely separate. And while he has Sam fighting for his life and sanity in the past he's driving me crazy by flashing the two of you back and forth in time.

The messing with you and your Dean with that demonic ring, it's just too much Samuel. We have to get this time line thing fixed.'

'So where do we start?'

'Paying the old boy across the way a visit, obviously he is not the same Jonas who is with Sammy.'

'Too true but Dean at the moment you are not going anywhere.' Samuel said nodding towards Dean's casted leg.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

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CHAPTER 17

Jonas' Cabin

Just outside Dresden, Kansas

February 1878

Sam stared miserably at the face of his latest abuser, his mind so fractured he could no long hold a cohesive thought. Memories scattered with dreamt nonsensical images, merging and then exploding filling him with bone chilling fear and numbness.

'Whatcha got to say now boy?' the abuser asked leaning closer to Sam's face, his hot acrid breath stinging Sam's eyes but he remained passively silent, staring at the man without really seeing him.

Fat, podgy fingers wrapped around his neck squeezing enough for him to start gasping for breath and yet he should no reaction to the fact that he was choking. Frustrated the abuser pushed him forcibly against the floor, angry at the blank unblinking stare that never left his face.

'Lionel tie em up and get em outta here.' Harry snarled kicking Sam viciously in the side rolling him over onto his stomach. 'I'm bad ready to go hunting.'

'Okay keeps ya head on.' Lionel muttered as he tied Sam and Jess' wrists together, 'there ye go, aint nuthin' gonna get em apart.'

'Ceptin' us.' Harry grunted out a short sharp laugh. He stared down at their latest prey, the young half-caste woman dressed only in her slip now, bruises marring her caramel coloured skin. The young man wearing only his jeans, holding that lithe young body was like a gift from the dark gods, and now as thanks he was gonna hunt them down and offer them after a bit more playtime though. He was not that stupid to slice them up before he got his fill. Especially that boy, he tasted something in him that he had never had before - in any of his other victims at least.

'Git goin' afore I decide just to slice ya'll up here an' now.' Lionel snarled kicking Jess in the side eliciting another groan of pain from her.

Harry physically lifted Sam off the floor dragging him by the hair until he was kneeling and almost upright, 'okay this is it kid, listen an' listen well ... you get outta the woods an' down to the track an' youse are free an' clear, but ... but if we catch ya'll first well then youse belong to us. Both of your sweet arses.' He stared coldly down at Sam wondering if the simpleton understood anything he just said, leaning forward he ran his rough and dry tongue over Sam's cheek before sinking his teeth into Sam's neck. 'Ah too sweet tastin' you is boy ... I'm gonna enjoy huntin' ya down.'

Sam rolled his eyes to look at the abuser, his own blood smeared across the thin lips and dribbling down the chin. He watched a crimson droplet suspended in time on the abuser's chin before it gave up the hold and fell splashing to the floor, disintegrating into nothingness as it hit. Rolling his eyes back up he smiled, no joy or warmth lit his face or his eyes. A cold smile of death. 'Bring it on.' Sam muttered under his breath.

Stumbling out of the cottage, Sam led Jess into the woods surrounding it, using his instincts honed by a lifetime of hunting and learning to avoid capture by his militaristic father and over-protective brother he took charge and let his hunter personality out. Keeping the other one protected and safely hidden. He looked down at Jess with the eyes of a stranger, dark and coldly intense with one thought on his mind, to become the hunter and not the hunted.

Trembling Jess clutched his hand tightly and willingly followed him deeper into the moonlit woods. At any other time, she would have smiled and blushed demurely up at him, strolling through the woods on a bright moonlit night. But this night was not romantic or filled with laughter and happiness; this night instead, filled with terror, pain, and confusion made her tremble and fear everyone including Sam.

Silently he moved slightly ahead and to the side of Jess, always making sure that he would be able to protect her with his body if needed. Keeping close to the trees and moving with the shadows, he led them further into the dense foliage and trees of the centre of the forest. Hiding their tracks as they moved in slightly growing circles, deliberately moving branches, or breaking twigs in a further effort to camouflage their tracks.

The explosion of gunfire startled Sam and he dropped to the ground taking Jess with him, he covered her body with his larger one as he listened intently for sounds of their pursuers. He clamped his hand over Jess' mouth when she let out a muffled cry effectively silencing her, but not stopping the tears from welling in her too-large eyes and falling onto his flesh.

'Come out, come out wherever ya'll are.' One of the abusers called brazenly from above them, 'aint nice to hide come on out an' play.'

Sam put his finger to his lips as he lifted his other hand from Jess' mouth, and then, he pointed to a small track concealed by small bushes and clumps of long wild grass. Easing off her Sam repositioned himself slightly to allow Jess to move out from under him. Covering her with his body they crept hunched down through the brush following the narrow dirt track in a downward spiral.

Stopping to gain their breath Sam and Jess both looked slowly around their hiding place, searching for any visual sign of their abusers. A frown forming on Sam's face, they had only heard one abuser, obviously they had separated which means that they could be circling around to box him and Jess in. As he readied himself to start moving again, Sam felt the now familiar pull and sense of disembodiment that came when he could flit back to his own time. To his Dean.

'Deanie?' Sam whispered miserably his hunter persona falling away at the sight of his older brother, 'is that really you?'

'Sammy where are you?'

'Hiding ... Jess and I are ... we have to hide before they get us.'

'Who? Dammit Sammy who's after you?'

'Some sort of hunters ... but not ... not our kind.' Sam got out; terrified he peered around, making sure that the abusers hadn't found them yet.

'Where are you Sammy?'

'Jonas' cabin, he managed to get me away from the other Dean. Dean these guys just broke in and ... and ... and attacked me and Jess.' Sam started to fade out, his emotions clouding his thoughts and concentration. 'help us Dean please help us.' He cried out as he looked up, a long cry of helplessness escaped from his throat as the butt of a rifle came crashing down onto his jaw.

Jess watched with a sinking feeling as Sam spoke to someone only he could see, someone he could Deanie, Dean – his Dean, he had been telling the truth all along. Distracted by what she witnessed with Sam, Jess didn't hear or see the danger approaching, or immediately feel the arms grabbing her, the filthy hand sliding across her mouth preventing her from screaming. Sam still lost in his time bubble oblivious to Jess and her plight let alone the one he was in until it was too late. Horrified Jess watch Sam crumple lifelessly to the ground when the abuser hit him with his rifle.

The ropes holding them together now severed and instead now bound Sam's wrists and ankles together. Moving quickly before he woke the hunters deciding that he was still too dangerous to leave unbound, instead Harry tossed him over his shoulder and carried Sam like a sack of potatoes back up the hill towards the cabin. The damned prey were only a few feet from the road and freedom when the hunters found them. They had underestimated they young buck and were not going to make the same mistake twice.

'Sure he aint part injun?' Harry muttered to Lionel as they neared the neat little cottage, 'boy can surely cover his tracks and knows too many ways.'

'Dunno but he aint gonna do it agin.' Lionel raged tightening his grip on Jess' arm until the soft flesh beneath his fingers bruised, red and purple with in seconds of his tightening the grip to white knuckles. 'Keep movin' bitch.' He growled as Jess stumbled and nearly fell.

Sam moaned in the back of his throat and slitted his eyes open, confused at the fact that the ground seemed to be above him and the sky below, moving sickenly with him, he tested his wrists and ankles and was rewarded with a sharp slap across his behind, 'stay still boy or ya'll regret it.' The ice cold voice cut through Sam's defiance and he felt his inner hunter slip back into the shadows.

Dumping Sam unceremoniously onto the floor Harry straightened his back and grumbled about the younger man's weight while he retied his wrists behind the leg of the bed, then he looped another shorter piece of rope around Sam's neck and tied it to the bed-end, effectively trapping him there.

'Aw whatsa matta?' Harry cooed as he stroked Sam's cheek, 'so close an' yet...' Harry barked out a short sharp laugh and cuffed Sam across the side of the head before standing up and moving away went to find Lionel and Jess.

Sam strained against his bindings but to no avail, the more he struggled the tighter they became. His heart beat painfully against the inner wall of his chest he couldn't her anything, his concern for Jess' safety outweighing his own.

'Hey, hey what the fuck do you two think you're doing?' He yelled out contemptuously, 'hey why don'tcha want to play with me anymore?'

'Shut up boy.' Lionel snarled as he kicked the door open and strode over to his prisoner, 'your voice aint what we wanna hear right now.'

'Too fucking bad, I am feeling the need to share, and share lots.' Sam spat out, letting his anger rise and spill over, 'I am so fucking tired of being tied up like a piece of meat.'

'One more word outta ya mouth an' I'll shut it for ya.'

'Yeah? You and whose army?' Sam snarled back, channelling Dean the best way he knew how. 'You hit like a girl.'

'Shut the fuck up boy.' Lionel fumed leaning into Sam's face, 'I aint finished with ya'll yet, so sit tight an' shuddup.'

'Not gonna happen until you let Jess go.' Sam shot back, 'let her go, and you can do what you like to me.'

'Boy in case ya'll haven' noticed ... that's what I'm already doin'.' Lionel reached over and gripped Sam's chin, digging his claw like fingernails into the flesh drawing blood with each one, 'so shuddup an' wait ya turn.'

'Not gonna happen.' Sam ground out pulling his head back and away from Lionel's grip. 'Untie me and fight me, fairly.'

'Son, ya musta hit ya head hard afore, coz I aint fightin' ya now or never.'

'Why scared to get your ass whipped by a boy?'

'Nah ... I got more than ass whippin' in mind for ya'll.' Lionel threatened as he picked up Sam's shirt and ripped it easily; using a strip of it, he tied it around Sam's head gagging him. 'Now sit tight an' don' go anywheres coz I'm gonna be right back.' Lionel brutally kissed Sam through the gag, snagging his teeth on the softness of Sam's lower lip. 'Mmm dang boy ya really don' know just how good ya'll taste do ya.'

Harry came in dragging Jess by one arm, dropping her with complete disinterest next to Sam. 'She's all used up.' He grinned at Lionel and rubbed his groin in celebration, 'dang good ride for a halfie.'

'So we can get on with the rest of it now?' Lionel asked suddenly sounding bored of their games. 'We gotta get movin' afore dawn.'

'Dang yeah, can see it acomin' from 'ere,' Harry squinted staring out the window at the approaching of dawn's first rays of colour.

'We aint got time to do 'im,' Lionel glanced down at Sam with a look of regret on his face.

'Aw hell Lionel go on, I got ta finish the bitch you can finish the buck.' Harry said swiping his friend's face, ' gotta go pee anyways.'

Sam's eyes widened as he watched Lionel undo his rope belt and drop it to the floor then as he started rubbing himself lasciviously Sam tried to pull away but the rope around his neck prevented much movement. Swallowing against the gag he tried to pull his knees up and away from the groping hands only to be rewarded with a resounding punch to the side of his face.

Dazed, Sam tried to focus on Jess lying next to him, her eyes open and fixed, her pretty mouth dropped open with her last sigh of life, filled his heart with dread. He failed to save his own Jess and now another Jess has died again because of his own failure to protect her.

The hand grabbed his hair and forced him to lift his face and gaze away from Jess, he stared up at the abuser with a hateful light filling his green eyes. In silence Lionel moved his free hand down to Sam's groin, cupping his balls he squeezed and twisted them viciously, smiling as he heard the moan escape from Sam's throat. 'Ah that's better boy, behave an' it'll go betta for ya.' Lionel whispered grazing his stubbled face along Sam's cheek, he slid his hand along the length of Sam's penis, manipulating it with alternating strokes and squeezes, running his fingernails across the sensitive tip made Sam squirm even more, silent screams poured from his captured mouth.

'Aw whatsa matta boy, ya'll enjoyin' it too much?' Lionel mocked him, keeping his grip on the younger man's now hard erection, he moved down Sam's body, placing himself between the long legs, Lionel laughed when he saw the flash of pain, the added pressure on Sam's injured ankle flared into a wave of white pain, Sam's body jerked uncontrollably underneath him. 'Ah yeah that's it, buck for me boy.' Lionel panted before he took the hard erection into his mouth. Sam's back arched and he screamed against the gag as Lionel's teeth dragged along the tender skin of his penis. Unable to do anything physically Sam closed his eyes and let his mind go blank.

When he opened them again he looked around in surprise, Lionel lay sprawled on the floor in front of him, his head a red pulp of flesh and bone. Harry's body lay in the doorway, his head almost completely twisted around; the eyes open and staring unseeingly up at the sky. The furniture not already broken in the initial attack lay in splinters and shards of their former shapes.

The ropes holding Sam's feet and wrists pooled on the floor beneath him, but what brought him the fastest from his growing stupor was the stench and heat of fire. Turning his head slowly Sam watched as orange and red flames fed hungrily on the kitchen area and snaked across the floor in search of more fodder. With shaking hands he pulled the gag from his mouth and slipped the noose from his neck, struggling to breath and remain calm in the face of own feared foes, fire, Sam gathered Jess' limp body in his arms and staggered outside. Tripping on Harry's body slightly, Sam managed to right himself and stumble to the ground just as the flames feasted on the entire cabin.

Watching the flames devouring the building and the bodies of his abusers Sam cradled Jess against his chest and started to sob.

'Samuel?'

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

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CHAPTER 18

Cabin 12

Plains Cabin Motel

Dresden, Kansas

February 2006

Dean woke in a panic, breathing heavily he tried to workout what was wrong, Samuel slept soundly in the bed next to him, his casted leg even though cumbersome was not painful at the moment. Everything seemed fine and yet, Dean couldn't breathe, his chest felt as though an unseen force was crushing it.

'Samuel?' He gasped out weakly, 'something's wrong, Samuel?'

The older version of Sam sat up and blinked sleepily over at Dean, he was sure that he had heard his voice called out. 'Dean are you...' he didn't finish his question when he saw the despair on the young face, the gasped bubbles of breathe and the fear-filled eyes, with dilated pupils and an unblinking stillness.

'Dean what is wrong?' Samuel scrambled from his bed and dropped to his knees next to Dean, his hand fluttering over the sweat drenched body unsure of what to do.

'Something's ... wrong.' Dean ground out, 'hurts to breathe.'

'Calm down Dean, just try to slow your breathing down, that's it nice and slow.' Samuel counselled him as he checked the cast and then did a cursory examination of the rest of Dean, unable to find any fresh injuries he sat back on his haunches and chewed his lower lip fretfully. 'Can you tell me if there is any new pain?'

'My, my ankle hurts,' Dean moaned and then he started to cough, thick grey smoke exploded from his mouth as the coughing intensified. 'Oh gods Sammy!' Dean cried out, his body felt as though it was broken into tiny shards, too fragmented for repair.

'Sammy!'

Samuel sat back shock written over his face as he watched the other Dean writhing on the bed. 'Dean can you hear me?'

'Yeah, yeah I can ... damn it Samuel make it stop.'

'I – I need you to concentrate, where exactly is the pain?'

Dean frowned and tried to separate the new feelings and pain from his own, 'ankle, chest hurts to ... breathe, ah my neck feels like I got a rope burn. And, and no, no, no!' Dean screamed and started to hyperventilate.

Samuel went to find something to help Dean when he saw the unholy green glow from under his mattress. Sliding his hand under the mattress Samuel pulled out the small box, gasping at the heat generating from it, the entire box glowed green, pulsating with an unnatural life.

Dean screamed inaudibly behind him, spinning around he watched as the younger man's back arched painfully, and then convulsions took control, a white foam covering his lips.

Rushing out of the cabin, Samuel stared at the small box, the heat was cooling, and the light dulling the further he got from Dean. Dropping to his knees he clawed at the soft earth, until he managed to dig a hole deep enough to bury the box and its cursed contents. Pressing the cool, damp ground down he made sure that he completely buried it, before wiping his hands off and ran back inside.

'Dean are you alright?' Samuel panted as he skidded to a halt next to the bed and stared down at the younger man.

'Yeah, yeah thanks whatever you did it worked.' Dean gasped out, still short of breathe and deadly pale he pushed himself up onto the pillows, 'fuck that was intense.'

'Have you any idea what happened?' Samuel asked sitting down on the edge of his own bed he faced Dean with an earnest look on his face.

'I – I think whoever thinks that they are controlling everything, decided to give me a taste of what Sammy is going through.' Dean smiled but it didn't reach his shadowed eyes, 'in living technicolour.'

'I am so sorry Dean, I feel that it is all of my fault, if I hadn't been weak when my Dean first put that ring on none of this would be happening.'

'Hey, hey Samuel please don't ... I couldn't handle two Sam's guilt complexes, it'll be just too much.' Dean grimaced. 'Shit I dunno how he is still going, that pain and the humiliation of the ...' Dean let his voice trail off, unable to vocalise the horror and repulsion he felt as he physically relived Sam's abuse.

'I do not understand any of this Dean. I mean if it is a demon manipulating all of this then why?' Samuel frowned as he tried to make sense of the nonsensical.

'For some reason he wants the past Dean and you and me and my Sam to be apart. Something happened back in your time which was a catalyst for whatever is happening now.'

'Why do you believe it is from my time?' Samuel asked genuinely intrigued by Dean's line of thought.

'First up, it seems that it all started when your Dean got that ring, and it is your time line getting fucked up. Like you said Jess died in your time when you were twenty-two, which is completely out of whack, except that my Sammy was twenty-two when his Jess died.' Dean's eyes widened with the realisation, 'it has something to do with when you were twenty-two Samuel.'

'I – I don't understand, your Sam is twenty-four now isn't he?'

'Yeah but he was the exact same age as you were when his or ah both Jess's died. It has to be the link.' Dean looked up at Samuel, their stares locking as they both contemplated the weight of Dean's words.

'When I was twenty-two,' Samuel mused his eyebrows scrunching slightly as he concentrated on remembering all of the pertinent details.

'Man you and he ... it is so freaky.' Dean breathed as he watched the looks playing across Samuel's expressive face. 'He does the same thing with his eyebrows when he concentrates.' Dean's voice broke as his emotions simmered dangerously close to the surface.

'Dean and I settled into the Manor just after my twenty-first birthday, he was much more like you then Dean. He loved women, he flirted on the darkside of the law, he hunted, and he was the best.' Samuel said his voice softening with the memory. 'I – I met Jess by accident, I ah tripped and twisted my ankle.' His blush quickly filling his pale features with a healthier shade of pink. 'She was the only one who stopped to help me.'

'Damn it is scary just how close you and Sammy are.' Dean laughed, 'so she helped you?'

'Ah yes she took me back to her small apartment and wrapped my ankle, once I felt well enough she helped me to get home. It wasn't until we had been seeing each other for quite a while that I found out she was Jonas' daughter. I did not mind because I knew that she was the one. I asked her to marry me and she said yes.' The smile faded from Samuel's face as the rest of the memory came flooding back. 'I – I went to pick her up for our engagement dinner, when I noticed smoke coming from her window. I ran inside but ... Dean it was horrible, I got inside her apartment and she was pinned against the far wall, and then, then she suddenly moved until she was pinned to the ceiling. Blood dripped from a gash that appeared on her stomach. I saw the look on her face and then ... I don't really remember someone dragging me out of there. Apparently one of the other residents grabbed me; I really don't remember a lot after that for quite a while.'

Dean sat silently taking in what Samuel had just told him, the details so eerily like his mother's death and Jessica, he can still hear Sam's screams as he dragged his brother away from her burning body.

'So it has to do with Jessica?' Dean asked breaking the sudden silence.

'She is the common denominator.' Samuel nodded his head thoughtfully, 'if it was only two years since Sam lost his Jess ... the pain must be still so real for him.'

'Pain and guilt.' Dean agreed.

'I still feel guilty,' Samuel admitted so quietly that Dean had to strain to hear him.

'Okay now who else is a big factor here?' Dean asked trying to change the subject he'd be damned if he was going to be stuck with another maudlin Sam.

'Jonas?' Samuel lifted his head and stared at Dean, 'although I don't think that Jessica from my time came from anyone named Jonas, she was and pardon me for saying this she was too white.'

'I understand what you mean, my Jess was half-negro.' Samuel nodded in agreement, 'but she grew up with a white family, which in my era was not a well-known practice. Normally one of questionable family descent would be an outcast, Jonas did everything he could to give Jess a perfect start to life.'

'So, we know that this revolves around both Jessica's and Jonas from the past and from now.' Dean concluded, 'a whole lot of diddly-squat.'

'That is very mature Dean.' Samuel chided him gently a small smile playing on his lips. 'We also know that there is a distinct difference between the two Jonas's and that he has a helper in this time frame as well.'

'We need to find out what demon he is.' Dean said, 'and how to bring the timeline back under control so you can ... Samuel you will be returning to ...'

'I'll be fine Dean, after all know I know it is that sets my Dean off. I maybe able to stop him.'

'Hey Samuel do you realise something?'

'What?'

'We might actually have something tangible ... that we might be able to fix this after all.'

'It is a good feeling is it not?' Samuel smiled 'but what do we do with the evil Jonas of this time?'

'Evil Jonas I like that, the black-hearted bastard is not going to trap my Sam or my Samuel in any time.'

'Your Samuel?' Samuel smiled at that thought, 'just like you are my Dean as well as the one at home.'

'Yeah, I guess after all we're all family ... a few lives removed that is.' Dean coughed a little uncomfortable with a chick flick moment spanning centuries. 'First things first though we have to find out what the evil Jonas is up too.'

'That is going to be harder than we can imagine.' Samuel said thoughtfully as he regarded the idea.

'I think I have the answer...' Dean grinned and clapped his hand on Samuel's shoulder squeezing it gently, 'you ready to do some hunting?'

tbc


	19. Chapter 19

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

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Author's Note: I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review this story for me. Please accept my apologies for not replying to them in person lately, mainly coz of time constraints I have at the moment and with FF really playing up I haven't had a chance to.

So please accept this as a blanket thank you, I appreciate each and every review I am sent and I read them all, often more than once! LOL So once again thanks

((((((((((((((((((((((GROUP HUGS))))))))))))))))

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CHAPTER 19

Sam felt someone gently tug Jess' body from his arms, he tried to hear what was said, but nothing made sense. His hands automatically searched for Jess, but she was gone, hot tears scalded his eyes as he fought to control the rising tide of panic. He didn't know where he was or why. His body ached and he was so tired, where was Jess, they had lectures in the morning.

Blinking he tried to assimilate the fragments he could see, giving up he closed his eyes and decided to go with the playing dead approach. Perhaps then, the prying hands would leave him alone. Alone with Jess.

A scream erupted in his ears, not realising straight away that it was his own scream, a response sent along the nerves in searing heat to his brain. Someone touched his ankle. Lights shone in his face, why couldn't they leave him alone. Poking, prodding, prying, where was Dean to tell them to leave him be, not to touch his Sammy. Dean? Where is he? Sam felt his absence keenly; he felt as though someone had cut out his heart and amputated his arm as well. Hands sliding under his arms, felt so wrong, no they shouldn't be touching him like that. Crying out wretchedly Sam tried to push himself away from the hands, the disgusting touching hands. 'Dirty, dirty, dirty little boy', he heard the voices mocking him. 'Time to play Sammy, ooh nice soft, cute too cute ... mm tastes so good.' Sam buried himself against a wall, curling into a tight ball, he swallowed down on the agony screeching at him not to move, he pushed the hands away and sobbed uncontrollably.

'Samuel, please let me help you.' A familiar voice broke through his wretchedness, startling Sam enough to cause him to lift his head up, 'that's it Samuel look at me.'

'No, it's a trick.' Sam moaned, 'no more please no more, I promise I'll behave, I'll be good just no more please.'

Dean sat back on his haunches and stared at the trembling and pathetic sight of his younger brother. Furious at the deception perpetrated by Jonas, Dean was ready to thrash the old man within a sliver of his life and to have Sam institutionalised for the rest of his natural life but when he saw the broken young man weeping and huddled in the dirt and ashes his own heart broke.

'Have I really pushed you to this point Samuel?' Dean asked his voice barely audible to anyone else and yet to him he felt as though he was screaming the question. 'My own arrogance and anger blinded me to your true plight. Please Samuel let me help you.'

'No!' Sam screamed but this time it was not a scream of pain and fear, this time it was a primordial scream, one born from pain and humiliation and neglect. 'No more Dean, no more.'

'Samuel listen to me.' Dean implored the young man as he reached in and cupped his hands around the bruised and battered face, his thumb pads gently rubbing away the dust and ash covering the cheeks. 'I am so sorry for everything Samuel, this is all my fault, and I accept that. Please, please allow me to take you home and let me look after you. The way I should have all along.'

Sam wanted to pull away, to fight the monster in front of him, but he was so weary, no more than weary he was exhausted down to the bone. He just wanted it all to stop, hiccuping back the rising flood of tears Sam nodded his head and lowered his gaze, mutely surrendering to Dean, and he had no fight left in him.

Jonas stood a short distance away and watched the interaction between the Winchester men; he fingered the small lead box in his pocket, positive that he had done the right thing by taking the jewel from Dean's cane and hiding it in the box. With the ring gone, the stone in the dragon's head handle still influenced Dean's mind but to a lesser extent. If both are removed from Dean's presence, then surely the influence will also be removed.

'Jonas can you help me with Samuel please?' Dean turned to look at the older man, knowing that he would be grieving for his daughter and may not want to be near them anymore.

'Yes Dean, certainly.' He said softly pushing aside his thoughts, deciding instead to focus his energy and attention on Sam, and to help him to return to his own time. Things have to be restored before anything else can go wrong. Nothing was supposed to have happened like this. None of it.

Sam felt the hands on him again and froze, too terrified to move, think even breath. He wanted to vanish, just to disappear into the ether forever. Why won't they just let him die? Why can't they let him be and end it all now?

'Dean, don't take it personally,' Jonas said tenderly laying his hand on Dean's shoulder, 'the boy has been through ... things that a man should never do to another man.'

'Then it is true?' Dean gasped staring down at the still form of Sam, 'I – I thought he lied, made it up so I wouldn't send him ... how could I have been so blind and so stupid Jonas?'

'From his reactions though, I think it is more than just what happened at the asylum,' Jonas said thoughtfully, 'there were two other men in the fire, their bodies are over there, or rather what is left of them.'

'Do you think?'

'So tired of being tied up like a piece of meat,' Sam started to cry out, his eyes wide and unfocused, 'let her go, and you can do what you like to me.'

'Samuel?' Dean and Jonas asked in unison as both men hovered close to the younger one. Lashing out angrily Sam's fist connected with Dean's jaw, 'come on fight me, untie me and fight me.'

'Dean, I – I think he is reliving it all over again,' Jonas said helping him up, 'we have to get him out of here before we lose him to his ... before he really does lose his mind.'

Dean looked at the old man and then down at Sam, nodding his head he straightened his shoulders, 'this is going to hurt me more Samuel, forgive me.' he said as he pulled his fist back and punched Sam squarely on the side of his face, sending him sideways and sliding down the wall unconscious.

'Let's get him out of here Jonas.' Dean whispered his voice thick with stifled emotions, 'let's take my brother home.'

Dean sat in a constant vigil at Sam's bedside over the next two days, refusing to leave the younger man's side, unless it was to relieve himself and to refresh himself, otherwise he ate his meals with him, talked into the early hours of their childhood escapades and the hunts that they conducted until recently.

'I honestly don't know what happened Samuel.' Dean sighed scrubbing at his face wearily, 'when I received that cursed ring and cane I felt so ... invincible, that no one could touch me, and that everyone else including you my dearest was below me. Then when you started to talk about coming from the future, and, and not my Samuel I – I don't know what happened. I was the one who lost my mind, not you dear heart not you.' Tears trickled down the older brother's face as he watched the sleeping form on the bed. 'I truly believed that you were possessed Samuel, little did I know that it was me, myself who was possessed. I started to see things more clearly when the ring went missing, but it was too late to help you or so I thought. Then Jonas smashed my cane, and removed the jewel in that and I was no longer angry at you. I no longer despised the creature I turned you in to. How can I ever expect you to forgive me?'

'Dean?' Sam whispered the name mingled with a sob, as he thrashed in the bed, captured, and held prisoner by a nightmare of truths and half-truths, pain and humiliation. 'Please Dean help me.'

'Samuel, dear heart I'm here, I am here.' Dean cried out grasping Sam's hand tightly, 'hold on to me dearest, please hold on to me, come back from wherever you are.'

Sam's eyes fluttered open and he tried to focus on the face floating in front of his eyes. Licking his dry and cracked lips with the tip of his tongue, Sam's gaze roamed around the room a confused look on his face. 'Where am I?'

'Home dear heart, I have brought you home.' Dean declared happy and relieved to see his brother awake.

'No, no this isn't home, it's a trick.' Sam cried out trying to extricate himself from the blankets tangled around his long limbs.

'Calm down Samuel please,' Dean begged him, 'I don't want to have to give you the draught of sleeping powders the doctor left for you.'

'I want to go home.' Sam said miserably, turning his face from Dean, he tried to calm his breathing and thoughts down. 'I just want to go home.'

'Dearest you are home,' Dean moved to sit on the edge of the bed to get a closer look at Sam's condition. 'You are not my Samuel are you?' he asked suddenly.

'No,' Sam said with a small rueful smile, 'you finally realising that?'

'I am realising a lot of things since the jewels are gone.' Dean admitted, 'you are too young to be my Samuel, why did I not see that to begin with.'

'I – I'm not sure it has something to do with the ring and cane, where are they?' Sam asked resting his head back on the pillows, he took deep shuddering breathes as he forced himself to calm down.

'You apparently took the ring,' Dean answered, 'and, and when Jonas realised what was happening he smashed the cane and took the jewel out. I started to see things more clearly after that.'

'So no more beatings or asylums?'

'How can I ever ... how can you forgive ... I am so sorry Samuel, I am so very sorry.'

'Dean, this was not your fault,' Sam began when he started to cough violently, gasping for each precious breathe of oxygen, his eyes fixed firmly on Dean's face as they waited out the coughing fit. A glass of water appeared in Dean's hand and he held it for Sam to sip from. 'Dean, I don't blame you.' Sam wheezed out before his eye lids fluttered and he closed them again, the coughing fit exhausting what little energy reserve he had.

'Sleep dear one, tomorrow we will work this out.' Dean said brushing a brotherly kiss across Sam's forehead. 'I pray that one day I can forgive myself as easily as you have just done. You truly are a remarkable young man Samuel Winchester.'

'Sam, just Sam.' the faint response came just as Dean put his hand on the door handle.

* * *

Jonas sat at the kitchen table fingering the small sliver of the crystal jewel he retrieved from the cane. He could feel the power resonating from it. The enticing, seductive powers sang to him, fogging his mind with a green mist. Straightening his shoulders he laughed and stretched his neck, he felt so strong and young again.

His dark brown eyes flared with green flames darkening them to black opaque disks, laughing he clasped the jewel tightly and decided to have a new ring modelled for it.

Hearing Dean come down the stairs Jonas smiled and slid the jewel into his coat pocket.

tbc


	20. Chapter 20

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

* * *

CHAPTER 20

Cabin 12

Plains Cabin Motel

Dresden, Kansas

February 2006

Samuel glanced over at Dean with a small smile playing on his lips, they had spent the entire day searching for certain objects and information, all of the time Dean grumbled about Sammy not being there to work his mojo on the computer, whatever mojo is.

'What?' Dean asked when he noticed Samuel's scrutiny, 'what I got something on my nose?'

'No, just ... this truly has been an adventure Dean; I am glad that we have had the chance to meet.'

'Same here Samuel.' Dean grinned as he put down the last gun and started to pack up his cleaning kit, 'we should get a few hours sleep I have a feeling that it's gonna be a long night.'

'True, Dean what about the black Jonas?'

'We will just have to hope that he doesn't work out what we are doing until it's too late.' Dean frowned thoughtfully, 'feel like doing a little recon before bed?'

'As in?'

'Oh just a little stroll around the camp and certain cabins.' Dean grinned, 'well a hop around the camp.'

'Certainly, if you feel up to it.' Samuel smiled as he helped Dean up and balanced before they headed out. Limping and leaning heavily on Samuel's arm Dean led the way along the shadows towards the other cabin.

'Jessica?' Samuel gasped stopping suddenly nearly over balancing Dean, 'Jessica?'

'It's not her Samuel.' Dean said as he focused on the object of Samuel's stare. Jessica sat on the back porch sipping her drink. Her long blond hair blowing gently in the breeze. _Damn she looks too much like Sammy's Jess too_.

Moving deeper into the evening shadows Dean and Samuel watched Jonas rush out of the cabin and start to berate the woman for taking the risk of being seen. The argument carrying on the evening breeze making it easier for them to eavesdrop, Dean grinned mischievously up at Samuel as they heard the fight escalate, living in close quarters seem to be starting to wear thin with the possessed couple.

'Two demons don't do well together do they?' Dean muttered.

'What makes you think that they are demons?' Samuel asked intrigued.

'Their eyes, even in the dark ... when one of them turns back into the light check out the eyes.'

Samuel watched as Jonas grabbed Jess' arm and started to drag her towards the cabin door, the light hitting his eyes as he moved. 'Dean they are black discs.'

'Yep, no human in them.'

'So they are the demons controlling what is going on?'

'If not then they are the minions for the one who is.' Dean said wincing with a sudden pain attacking his leg. 'Dude I gotta go sit down again.'

'Of course, how stupid of me not to realise.' Samuel said helping Dean back to their own cabin.

'What? No, no it's okay Samuel honestly.' Dean said through gritted teeth. 'I'm fine.'

'Of course you are.'

'Dude are you patronising me?' Dean gasped with a laugh.

'So what do we do now?' Samuel asked as he eased Dean into one of the easy chairs before getting a footstool from the porch to place Dean's casted leg on to rest.

'We have to get into that cabin and find out what is going on.' Dean said, 'which is not going to be easy.'

'True, especially when Jess never leaves and Jonas only does when he has too.' Samuel agreed with Dean. 'Do you need some pain relief?'

'No, hey Samuel take a look out the window and see if there are more signs of life over there.'

Samuel bent to stare through the window over at the other cabin, 'the lights are on, Jonas is sitting on the porch, and there is no sign of Jess.'

'Feel up to going and chatting with our friend over there?' Dean asked with a gleam in his eyes.

'Yes of course, but why?'

'Just to find out a few things and to let him know that we're leaving soon.'

'Leaving? What do you mean?'

'Nothing, we're not but...'

'Let him think that we are, do you believe that it will force his hand?'

'I am banking on it.'

'One can only try.' Samuel said with a smile, straightening his went to the bathroom to freshen up and to make sure that he looked tidy enough to go visiting.

Samuel shifted Dean's chair so that he could keep watch through the window without being detected, before going outside to talk to Jonas.

Walking easily across the small common area, Samuel lifted his hand and waved a greeting towards Jonas, who after a few seconds returned the gesture.

'Evening Samuel, what brings you out?' Jonas said with an easy smile.

'Dean's asleep and I needed to stretch my legs.' Sam said as he took a position up leaning against the porch railing. 'It's such a nice evening.'

'Yes it is, so tell me how is that brother of your's doing?'

'Much better thank you, his leg is starting to heal nicely.'

'Good to hear, he has had a bit of a bad run of things lately hasn't he.'

'Yes that is true.' Samuel agreed with him, he was finding harder than he thought to make small talk with the creature who looks so much like his childhood friend and mentor. 'Tell me Jonas where do you come from?'

'South, ah South Carolina how's about you Samuel?'

'Kansas.'

'Ah I see, nice place ... very flat.'

'Yeah the plains are but they are still lovely.' Sam agreed, 'just like here is nice, shame not staying longer to enjoy it.'

'Excuse me what did you say?'

'Oh I am sorry Jonas didn't I tell you? Dean and I are leaving soon, just going to give his leg a few more days and then we are out of here. He is anxious to get back on the road.'

'I am sorry to hear that, good neighbours are hard to come by, even in camping parks.'

'That is true, well I had better get back before he wakes up.' Samuel said pretending to yawn, 'I'll see you before we go?'

'Yes, yes of course my boy, have a good sleep.' Jonas said sounding distracted.

'Are you alright Jonas?'

'Oh I'm fine, just this old body aint what it used to be, I had better get in myself.' Jonas stood up and held his hand out to Samuel, 'good night son, have a good sleep.'

'You too Jonas.'

* * *

Jessica stood on the other side of the front door holding it open slightly so she could easily hear the conversation, Samuel was so handsome, she wanted to run her fingers through that long sleek dark hair and feel the tone of his muscular chest. 'Damn Jonas for putting his needs before hers.'

Sashaying over to the mirror Jessica stared at the reflection, seeing her true features staring back at her. 'I am one of the best looking female demons in the realm, any male would die for me, why can't I have one puny human?'

'What have I told you about spying Jessica?' Jonas growled as he saw her standing provocatively in front of the mirror.

'I want to have fun, look at me Jonas I am beautiful even with this human body I am beautiful why can't I have some fun?'

'What fun Jess?'

'I want to seduce Samuel; I just want to taste him.'

'Samuel?' Jonas laughed, 'I thought that Dean would have been more up your alley.'

'Oh he is gorgeous but there is something so vulnerable about Samuel, something that just makes me want to eat him up.'

'That is what I am afraid of Jessica.'

* * *

'He took the bait.' Samuel announced as he locked the door behind him, 'I have a feeling that Jessica was hovering close by too.'

'Interesting so Samuel what do you think?' Dean asked limping towards his bed, 'demon or spirit possession?'

'Demon could smell the sulphur wreaking from him.'

'So tonight we go?'

'Tonight it is, Dean no matter what happens tonight I would like to thank you.'

'For what?'

'Everything, you have been truly wonderful and a privilege to have as a brother.' Samuel said with a sad smile playing on his lips.

'Samuel listen I ...' Dean ran his fingers through his short hair and floundered for words to say to the nineteenth century version of his Sammy.

'Don't worry Dean I understand, you do not do ... chick flick moments.' Samuel laughed as he laid down on his own bed and closed his eyes. 'Good night Dean.'

'See you in a few Samuel.' Dean yawned.

Samuel felt the hand brush over his face, covering his mouth; his eyes shot open and gazed up at the transparent face of Jessica floating above him. 'Sh my Love, my Samuel.' She whispered, 'we don't want to wake Dean.'

Samuel tried to speak but the pressure on his mouth and throat took his voice away, 'I have missed you my Love, in all of the years since our time I have missed you so much and want you to come with me.'

Samuel's eyes widened at the implication of her words, he felt her hot lips on his chest and neck as she covered his skin in tiny butterfly kisses, 'I want you so badly Samuel, come with me, stay with me for eternity.'

Desperately Samuel flailed out with his hands trying to find something to knock over or to make a noise and wake Dean. the pressure intensified on his throat cutting off his air as well as his voice. His heart pounded like it was about to burst against the side of his chest, and spots danced in front of his eyes. This was not happening, it can't happen, he can't die here Sammy would be trapped forever in his wrong time if he did.

As darkness crept towards him, he felt Jessica move down his body kissing and biting his bare chest, taking her momentary distraction to move a little more towards one side Samuel managed to grab hold of the glass of water on the bedside table between the twin beds. With an unsteady hand, he tossed the contents onto the sleeping Dean.

Waking up cursing Dean sat up and went to let lose a verbal tirade when he saw Samuel struggling weakly with an invisible force.

'Samuel?' he roared grabbing for the salt filled shotgun next to his bed, taking aim he fired off a shot pleased when he heard the audible shriek of pain and the form of Jessica flash in front of him. 'Samuel.' He called again as he took aim a second time but before he could pull the trigger, the gun flew from his hands and he felt himself being thrown across the room, smashing against the wall and sliding down to land in a heap on the floor.

'Dean!' he heard Samuel's cry and then nothing, shaking his head Dean tried to clear his thoughts and to push himself up on shaking legs to brace himself against the wall.

Samuel lay on the facedown on the floor, his left hand stretched out towards his brother, his long body still and lifeless.

'Leave him alone.' A young familiar voice came from a bright light, convinced he was hallucinating Dean slumped back to the floor, unable to process what had just happened. 'Samuel you can't die.' The cry brought Dean out of his reverie and blinking furiously he finally focused on the younger version of Sam crouched over his older counterpart as he gently rolled Samuel over onto his back and braced his neck back.

'Sammy?' Dean croaked out, 'Sammy is that you?'

Sammy turned and grinned at his brother before returning his attention to the older version of himself. 'Breathe Samuel it is not time yet.' He said breathing life into the still man. 'Breathe.'

Dean watched as his Sammy started to flicker and lose substance, drawn back to the wrong time before they could fix things. 'No Sammy!' Dean cried out helplessly as Sam disappeared again.

Crawling over to Samuel's prone form, Dean choked back a sob and felt for a pulse, letting out a shuddering sigh of relief when he felt a strong beat under his fingertips. 'Thanks Sammy.' He whispered as he collapsed giving into the darkness finally.

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

---------------

CHAPTER 21

'Chambre de la Mort'

Winchester's House

Dresden, Kansas

February 1878

Sam stood staring out of his bedroom window, his days consisted of short walks around the room, sleeping and trying to eat which was not as easy as it sounds. Dean spent the afternoons and early evenings with him, talking of general things, of their respective childhoods and siblings but nothing that could change history forever.

Physically Sam was improving everyday, his injuries healing and bruises fading things that brought happiness and relief to Jonas and Dean but Sam felt himself drawn into a deep depression.

He tried so hard to be cheerful for Dean and to show that he held little animosity towards the elder Winchester but when he was, alone he let the melancholy take hold. He missed his brother, his Dean, the verbal sparring, the constant rock music blaring in the car, the impala he missed that sleek piece of machinery that Dean so tenderly called his 'baby'.

'Samuel?' Dean spoke softly as he came into the bedroom carrying a tray filled with food, a dish of fresh vegetable broth, crusty warm bread and a large mug of steaming milk. 'Dear heart do you feel like something warm to eat?'

'Dean? Oh ah sorry I didn't hear you.' Sam said softly a slight grin played on his face as he stared down at the amount of food on the tray. 'Thanks.'

'How are you feeling Samuel ... Sam?'

'Better thanks; sit down please Dean I hate eating alone.' Sam picked up the spoon and stirred his soup with a distracted air.

'Sam? Is there something wrong? I can get you something else if you like.'

'No, no thanks Dean it's great, I guess I'm still get my appetite back.' Sam said as he took a sip of the soup, 'have you eaten?'

'Yes, I had some earlier,' Dean smiled pleased to see the younger man starting to respond to him a little more.

After Sam finished nearly half of his soup, he sat back and looked warily at yet another mug of milk, 'coffee would be good?' he suggested with a wry grin.

'And it will be once you are a little stronger.' Dean replied, 'you are doing so well, the doctor can't get over how fast you are healing.'

'Good Winchester genes I guess.' Sam shrugged; he gulped down the cooled boiled milk with a grimace and then pushed himself away from the small table. 'Dean I ...'

But before he could finish what he was saying Sam gripped his head and screwed his eyes shut, 'argh.' Stumbling tried to push the pain aside but it was coming in full force.

'Samuel? Sam what is it?' Dean jumped from his seat and tried to get a hold on Sam's arms when his hands went straight through the semi-transparent younger man. 'What is going on?'

'Dean?' Sam cried out as the world around him started to blur, everything became indistinct images morphing into weird shapes and then his vision cleared and he saw the older version of himself lying lifelessly on the floor. 'Leave him alone.' He called out from inside the bright light, 'Samuel you can't die.' Sam cried out in horror.

'Sammy?' Dean croaked out, 'Sammy is that you?'

Sam turned and grinned at his brother before returning his attention to the older version of himself. 'Breathe Samuel.' He crouched over his older counterpart and gently rolled Samuel over onto his back bracing his neck back. 'It is not time yet.' He said breathing life into the still man. 'Breathe.' Kneeling next to his older counterpart Sam tried to rouse him, filled with terror he started CPR again.

'Sammy?' He could hear Dean calling him but his attention remained riveted on Samuel he had to breathe, he couldn't die, not now. Sam felt himself pulled backwards, 'No Sammy!' Was all he heard before he opened his eyes and found himself lying on the floor with the nineteenth century Dean crouching over him.

'Samuel are you alright?' Dean asked his frown deepening at the pallor of the younger Sam's skin and dark ringed eyes, 'Samuel talk to me please?'

'It's Sam.' Sam managed to get out, trying to sit up he fought a bout of dizziness and squeezed his eyes shut, each time it happened he felt himself growing weaker, the flickering seconds sucked the energy directly from his life source.

Easing the younger man up Dean helped him to stand and with a supportive arm was able to get Sam to the bed. Wearily Sam lay down and sighed deeply, he ached from head to foot, 'Dean?'

'Yes Dear One?'

'Your Samuel ... was dying in my time.' Sam started before starting to cough violently, losing his breath in the process. Minutes later, he still panted and tried to catch his breath, it hurt so much. 'I – I don't know what happened but I managed to get him breathing again before...'

'Dear Heart?' Dean breathed out in shock, he sank down on the bed next to Sam and pinched the bridge of his nose, 'this is all of my fault, this should never have happened.'

'Dean please don't, someone or something is playing with the timeline and trying to stop our family before my Dean and I are born.'

'Why?'

'In my time ... in my time the demon that has hounded my family wants to start a demonic war. He was the one who killed my Mom in my nursery when I was only six months old, the one my Dad bargained with to save Dean's life, the one who wants me.' Sam paused and tried to calm his breathing down feeling another coughing spell coming on, 'he says that he wants me and children like me, with psychic abilities so far Dean and I have managed to put a dampener on his plans so I have a feeling that he has managed to manipulate time ... What is it Dean?'

'You, you said that you have abilities ... when you first came here I thought that you were possessed by demons, talking of the future, of visions and such but ... I have done you such a grave injustice Sam, how can you even bear to look at me?'

'Dean none of this is your fault.' Sam started before another powerful fit of coughs took his breath away leaving him gasping for oxygen.

'Sam look at me and try to slow your breathing down, that's it Dear One, that's it nice and slow.' Dean soothed Sam as he tried desperately to get his erratic breathing under control again. Picking up the glass of chilled water Dean held it to Sam's dry and cracked lips with one hand the other cupped around Sam's neck holding him upright while he sipped cautiously at the fluid.

'Thanks.' Sam wheezed managing a weak grin. 'Honestly Dean none of this is your fault, the demon can manipulate ... it was the effects of the cursed ring.'

'Ah yes the ring, what did you do with it Sam?'

'Why?'

'Just curious.'

'I ah mailed it to you in the future ... don't ask me how or anything coz I am not sure that I understand myself but it can't hurt you anymore.' Sam said then after he managed a few more sips of water he laid his head back on the pillows and stared squinty-eyed up at his older brother's predecessor, 'where did the ring come from Dean?'

'Augustine's ring?' Dean asked slightly shocked, 'do you know after everything that has happened I haven't thought about it for so long.' Settling onto a large comfortable chair by Sam's bed, Dean thought for a moment and then smiled at the younger Winchester, 'well to start with, I received the ring by courier for my birthday ... all it had in the box was a label written in a lady's handwriting, _Augustine's Ring_.'

'What about your cane?'

'I received it as part of an inheritance from my mother's estate, it was her father's.' Dean said a slight cloud forming over his eyes as the memory assaulted him, 'I received the cane and a few other pieces of personal items, and Samuel received all of the family books. We both received the house and whatever was left in the family trust fund, we never really went without.'

'What kind of books?' Sam asked his eyes brightening a little.

'Oh Dear One,' Dean started to laugh, 'I thought my Samuel was the only bookworm!'

'My Dean calls me a geek.' Sam chuckled. 'Was there any books on ...'

'Demonology and the supernatural ... yes many as well as other tomes on the family I have never had much time for such stuff but Samuel would spend hours pouring over the text.'

'Could I see them?' Sam yawned widely and blinked at Dean, 'please?'

'Yes of course Dear Heart but first you must rest, I mean it Samuel you can barely keep your eyes open. Sleep for a while and then I will take you to the library myself.'

'S'okay,' Sam muffled as his eyes shut and a soft sigh escaped from his lips, 'just for a few minutes.'

Dean watched the pale young man sleeping soundly in the large bed, tall and thin he had a youthful grace about him that made Dean's heart twitch and clench. He was truly pretty, not handsome, not rugged but pretty and young. Shaking his head Dean pushed the thoughts from his mind; he had to remain vigilant with his young charge until he got his own Samuel back.

Pacing the room Dean tried to remember the sequence of events of the last few months, he remembered a time of wanting to go out and drink, to find any wanton woman or boy to satisfy his carnal urges. His needs and lusts deepening after he received the ring, but it never bothered him. It was as if he wanted to go out and hunt a different prey from usual. Instead of hunting the supernatural and evil he hunted a sexual prey, male or female it did not matter, often he never found out their names, he used them and then left them without uttering a sound. The punishment he dealt Samuel or rather Sam he knew was inhuman but it felt so good wielding the cane, the sound of wood striking bare flesh, made him feel alive and also very aroused. The power was intoxicating. Sending his brother to that hellhole, he knew what kind of place it was, what they did to the patients there but it did not matter, with Samuel gone, he could do as he wished and feed the carnal desires flaming inside of him.

He started to rub his finger where the ring had resided until so recently, he felt its loss keenly, almost like having a finger amputated, it was gone but still felt like it was there. His appetite did abate a little but the desire was still there, he had to wrestle with it every waking moment.

Sam started to thrash about in the bed, his long limbs entangling in the sheets as he let out a sob, his fingers twisting the bedding, clawing at it he appeared to be fighting an invisible enemy. Large tears coursed down his face as he twisted in the bed. A hoarse scream echoed through the room. Hurrying to the bed Dean gripped Sam's shoulders and tried to waken him but it only solicited more screams of terror from Sam as he fought the hands with a renewed strength. 'No more Dean please.' Sam begged, 'no more please I promise I'll be good.'

Dean sat back and stared in horror, the young man was dreaming of the beatings, reliving them in his night terrors. 'Samuel please you have to wake up now.' Dean called out not wanting to touch him now. Sam's eyes snapped open and he stared up at the face hovering over him, whimpering he lifted one hand and tried to protect his face, 'please Dean no more.'

'It's alright Samuel it was just a dream,' Dean said in a soothing voice doing his best to stay calm, 'Sam please look at me.'

'Dean?' Sam husked blinking rapidly.

'Samuel it was only a dream I promise.'

'Ah fuck.' Sam sighed running a shaking hand through his hair, 'sorry Dean.'

'What are you apologising for Samuel?'

'Everything, if I hadn't ... I am sorry Dean.'

'No Samuel, don't you dare try to apologise to me, I get that enough from my Samuel no if anyone should hang his head in shame and beg for forgiveness it is myself not you, never you.'

'Dean ...'

'Sam please hear me out, I am the one who willingly put the ring on. I was well aware of what I did while I wore it, it was like watching myself from a distance but I knew what I did, the pain I caused you, no Samuel I know what I did and for that I beg that one day you may find it in your heart to think better of me.'

'Where are those books you told me about earlier?' Sam asked desperately trying to change the subject, not used to seeing such an emotional Dean.

'Do you feel up to it?' Dean asked letting his gaze wander over Sam's face and body.

'Yeah I think so,' Sam grinned and then moving slowly sat up and let Dean fuss a little with the robe and slippers. Leaning heavily on the proffered arm, Sam let Dean lead him to a second library on the same floor as Samuel's bedroom. 'We had this spare room converted for him when he received the books, it is also where he loved to conduct his research and studies. Sitting by the window at the desk he could spend hours up here.' Dean finished turning an encouraging grin to Sam, which started to turn into a full smile when he saw that look on the younger man's face. The same look of wonderment and excitement as his Samuel wore the first time he entered the converted room.

'Wow, this is ... awesome.' Sam breathed running his hands over the leather bound books reverently.

'Sam?' Dean said laughing softly, 'Sam?'

'Oh sorry ... did you say something Dean?'

'I have to go out for a short while; will you be alright up here?'

'Yes thanks Dean I'll be fine, anyway Jonas is around somewhere isn't he?' Sam asked absently as he pulled one thick book out and made his way to the desk, 'I'll see you later Dean.'

'Yes, yes fine ... alright enjoy yourself Dear Heart.' Dean said as he closed the door behind him. Sam waved good-bye absently as he started running his finger down the table of contents. The legends in this book were in such detail and beautifully presented they took his breath away, some he had never heard of, he fed off the information like a starving man with his last meal.

'Ah Samuel I thought that I might find you here.' Jonas said as he closed the door quietly behind him. 'Did you think you could hide from me?'

'Jonas is there something wrong?' Sam asked without looking up from the volume.

'I have been waiting a long time for this Sammy.' Jonas' voice sounded different, cold and filled with contempt. Looking up Sam stared in horror at the smaller man.

'What is it Jonas?'

'How arrogant you are Sammy, even in this time and place you still think that you can stop me.'

'What have you done to Jonas?'

'Nothing why do you want me to do something?' Jonas laughed and moved closer to Sam, who caught a glimpse of the green flames flaring in Jonas' eyes.

'Who are you?'

'Oh now you are just insulting me Sammy ... wanna play Sammmmy?'

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed and I haven't had a chance to send a personal thanks too. I Have been swamped with final essays and now exams this week for Uni, but on the upside I am about to have my big semester break which means lots of writing! So for now ... (((((((((((((GROUP HUGS))))))))))))))))

* * *

CHAPTER 22

**Cabin 12**

**Plains Cabin Motel**

**Dresden, Kansas**

**February 2006**

Dean sat watching over Samuel for the rest of the evening, too wound up to sleep he tried everything he could think of to explain what had happened but he kept coming up with a big blank. 'Damn Sammy I need you here Dude.' He muttered sipping his nearly cold coffee.

'Dean?' the whispered voice shook Dean and convinced that it was just exhaustion talking, so he put his cup on the bench and hunkered down into the blankets a little more. The soft indentation on the end of the bed made Dean snap up and reach for his knife under the pillow.

'Dean? Hey Dude it's me.' Sam said his voice silvery and whispery as though the wind carried it softly, gently.

'Where are you Sammy?'

'On the end of your bed, I ah can't stay long...'

'How?'

'Not sure umm I ... Dean showed me this library Dude it's unbelievable, I'm in it right now.'

'Okay this is weird.'

'Tell me about it, I am sitting on the floor but it feels like your bed.'

'And I'm talking to the wind.' Dean chuckled at the irony of it all, 'damn it's good to hear your voice.'

'I know, it's so good to ... I mean this Dean is great now he's no longer possessed but...'

'Yeah I know dude, Samuel is great, just an older version of you but...'

'So.'

'So.'

'Dean what are we going to do?'

'Okay, we have a Jonas here as you know, we call him the Black Jonas, and he has a female with him in the guise of Jess.'

'Jess?'

'Yeah, they're up to no good Sammy, I think it was Jess who attacked Samuel earlier.'

'Damn Dean what are we going to do?'

'Not sure I'm working on it, we're going to force Black Jonas' hand, Samuel told him that we're leaving in a couple of days.'

'Dean is that...'

'Not planning to actually leave just wanted to see if it brings about a response from him, he's a cagey old shit.'

'Yeah that he is ... Dean I ah ...'

'Sammy?'

'Jonas is there something wrong?' Sam asked distractedly, keeping his connection with his own Dean, 'What is it Jonas ... What have you done to Jonas? Who are you?'

'Sammy?' Dean cried out, momentarily forgetting Samuel sleeping in the other bed, 'fuck Sammy can you hear me?'

'I ah ... damn hurts.' Sam gasped out; the snatches of words hitting Dean each like a bullet. 'Pain ... hurt so much ... Dean ... no ... no ... Jonas please no ...'

'It's Jonas ... Dean ... he ... has ... the ... stone ... No! No! Jonas!'

'Sammy?' Dean cried out but he couldn't feel Sam on the bed anymore, 'Sammy damn it answer me.'

'Dean? What is it? What's wrong?' Samuel croaked out, his throat swollen and bruised made it hard for him to speak and even to swallow properly.

'Damn it Samuel, that was Sammy, he managed to find a way to – to communicate and then, I dunno what happened but he was in so much pain and he ...'

'He what Dean?'

'Said that Jonas got the stone.' Dean flicked the lamp on and settled his focus on Samuel trying to calm his tumultuous thoughts. 'That must have been when ...'

'Jonas got infected to begin with; he must have kept the sliver instead of getting rid of it.'

'Now both Dean and Sammy are in danger Samuel ...'

'We have to go back there Dean, we have to find a way to bring the vortex back ... it's the only way.'

'What? Are you freaking kidding me? We go back in time to rescue Sammy and the other Dean and then what ... oh yeah and I thought that we can't occupy the same space.'

'Technically that shouldn't be a problem as we are ancestors to you and Sammy, not the same person.'

'So the four of us could be in the same place at the same time?'

'Yeah I guess, I suppose technically we are your great, great, great, great-uncles. Or something like that.'

'So how do we reopen that portal?' Dean asked, his inner cynic screamed for his attention, that time travel just doesn't happen, but he forced it back and tried to keep his mind carefully open and blank.

'Dean can you remember exactly what happened when Sammy and I? The very first time?'

'Yeah um, Sammy woke up screaming, he had a bad nightmare ... umm he had a nosebleed and headache as well. He ah went to have a shower and when he took longer than usual I went to check on him and found him passed out in the shower, I managed to drag him out and well you know the rest.'

'So he had a nightmare? Did you ... did he tell you what it was about?'

'Not sure but he was terrified, kept crying and trying to defend himself from something or someone. When he came to he ... he was terrified of me Samuel, I could see it in his eyes and then he told me it was like a flash of the past, a big house like a plantation house or something and, I was there with a cane ... it had a dragon's head on the handle.'

'Oh my God.' Samuel breathed paling significantly the bruises ringing his neck stood out even more against the paper white skin.

'What is it Samuel?'

'Just before ... just before Sammy and I ... switched, for the lack of a better word, my Dean was in one of his rages and ...'

'He was beating you?'

'Yes, when he changed he would get these rages, convinced that I was possessed and that was why I was so sickly all of the time. Nothing I could tell him would make him believe different. That, that was a particularly bad beating, the one ... Sammy saw that?'

'Damn it, Samuel do you have premonitions like Sammy?'

'Similar yes.'

'Did you feel anything when you switched with Sammy?'

'I ah ... I was in so much pain Dean it was ... I was dizzy and I felt myself falling and when I came too again...'

'Yeah the two of you had traded places.' Dean said scrubbing at his eyes wearily, 'we're getting nowhere Samuel just seem to be going around in circles.'

'Dean I am so sorry this is happening.'

'Hey it's not your fault,' Dean said with a small chuckle, 'my Sammy always blames himself for everything too.'

'Family trait?' Samuel asked with a cheeky grin, 'I need something to drink ... coffee?'

'Think you can manage to?'

'Do not even finish that sentence Dean, I have watched you enough to know what to do.'

'Just checking,' Dean sighed, 'damn itching cast.'

'It can come off soon Dean ... Dean what are you doing?'

'Taking it off now.'

'And slice your leg off in the process.' Samuel admonished him after rushing over and taking the long bladed knife from Dean.

'Then you do it Samuel, I don't care but this freaking thing comes off now.'

An hour later, freshly showered, dressed and cast free Dean sipped his coffee and managed to grin widely at Samuel, 'hey not bad coffee at all.'

'Thank you Dean but did you have to sound so surprised?'

'How's the neck?'

'Sore but not so bad, thank you for helping me.'

'Not just me, whatever attacked you threw me across the room; Sammy appeared and gave you CPR.'

'It was Jessica.' Samuel said stoically.

'Jessica?' Dean repeated his smile gone, 'demonic version?'

'Yes, more demonic than human.' Samuel sighed unconsciously fingering the bruises. 'I – I thought it was just a dream to begin with.'

'This is so fucked up Samuel.'

'You are so right Dean, it is.' Samuel agreed without scolding Dean for cussing.

'You all right Samuel?'

'Yes why?'

'You didn't tell me off for swearing.' Dean laughed and finished his coffee. 'Okay now let's get this act together and get us back to Sammy and your Dean.'

Dean ran the EMF scan over the shower cubicle it picked up a low energy reading but nothing specific, chewing his lower lip he turned around slowly looking at the tiles closely. 'Hey Samuel.'

'Yes Dean?'

'Did you guys have tiling in your bathroom?'

'Why yes, yes we did, on the floor ... why?'

'Did they have any pattern or anything on them?'

'Let me think, ah I think some had our initials on them, DSW, Dean thought it looked elegant the rest were white.'

'Tiles like these?' Dean asked pointing to the offending tiles. Placed haphazardly around the cubicle were tiles with faint initials on them, DSW, time and use had faded them and yellowed the white of the tiles.

'This is the link?' Samuel asked incredulously.

'I think so ... they must have come from your house after the fire.'

'So someone found the ornate tiles and thought that it would be nice to tile their cabin bathrooms with them.'

'Something like that.' Dean grinned a little more and lifted his gaze to stare up at the other man, 'Whatcha think?'

'We go now?'

'Yep, if we can, the only thing is...'

'How do you and Sammy get back when it is all over?'

'That and well, Sammy said that he worked out a way to communicate and the odd pop-in, what if we are wrong and we end up in China or somewhere?'

'It is a risk.'

'And then Sammy is forced to remain in your time...' Dean frowned and his smile disappeared, he hated feeling so helpless. 'What else can we do Samuel?'

'Nothing Dean, we have to try.' Samuel said calmly, 'we have to try.'

Ten minutes later after making sure that the impala was well hidden and locked, the cabin tidy and with nothing incriminating left lying around, and armed with as much as they could carry Dean and Samuel were finally ready.

'I ah have put salt lines down just to be on the safe side,' Samuel said joining Dean back in the bathroom.

'Thanks.'

'Dean ... it ... has been a pleasure working with you.'

'Same here Samuel now let's go rescue Sammy and your Dean.'

Together the two men from different times stood in the shower cubicle and pressed the tiles simultaneously.

* * *

'**Chambre de la Mort'**

**Winchester's House**

**Dresden, Kansas**

**February 1878**

'Did you enjoy your little talk with Dean?' Jonas asked curiously, as he circled his prisoner, 'I'm not sure exactly how you did it but I must say Sammy, well done.'

Sam remained silent and glared at the possessed man, he saw the glint of green from the cane handle, and his heart skipped a beat.

'Why so quiet Sammy?' Jonas asked crouching down in front of Sam; he ran a finger down Sam's cheek. 'Such a pretty, pretty boy.'

'Let me go Jonas,' Sam gritted out through clenched teeth, 'Dean is going to be back soon.'

'Oh umm didn't I tell you about your brother?' Jonas grinned and pretended to be embarrassed, 'oh I am sorry Sam your brother's ancestor I suppose would be a good way to describe the relationship.'

'What?' Sam paused and took a deep breath, 'what are you on about Jonas?'

'Didn't I tell you about Dean's unfortunate accident?'

'Jonas I am warning you.'

'Tsk, tsk, Sammy what am I going to do with you?' Jonas laughed and continued his endless pacing in circles around Sam. 'It seems that one of Dean's horses shied and reared up trampling your dear and nearly departed brother.'

'No, you're lying.'

'Afraid not, he's in the hospital now Sammy, the doctors said that he was lucky, a little closer to his spine and well...'

'What do you want?'

'I have what I want.'

'Stop talking in freaking riddles and just give me a straight answer.'

'I have want I want Sam, I have effectively prevented the Winchester family surviving past the nineteenth century.'

'How?'

'Hmm let me see, Dean is dying ... or will be shortly, Samuel is dying in the future, you are I am sorry to say about to meet the same demise as your brother will soon after with the future me watching him closely.'

'Flawed plan, you don't know what is happening in the future.'

'Oh yes I do, you see Sammy, I have my own portal, I don't need to conjure anything or need anything special I can just open and close it whenever I want too.'

'You're sick.'

'Compliments will get you everywhere, except where you want to be.'

Sam struggled against the tightly bound ropes keeping him prisoner on the chair. Instead of just binding his arms and legs, Jonas wrapped the rope firmly around Sam's chest and arms and around his feet and up to his knees, effectively immobilising Sam.

'Let me go now Jonas.' Sam yelled, wincing as the ropes cut further into his skin.

'No, so get used to it Sammy boy.'

'I will get out of this and then I am going to take pleasure in killing you.' Sam snarled his upper lip curling in disgust as he stared at the demonically possessed man.

'I am so tired of your arguing.' Jonas snarled losing his patience; he struck Sam's face with the handle of his cane, the jewel ripping his cheek to pieces.

The rest of the blows barely registered with Sam the pain flaring through his already abused body was too much for him to take and he felt himself sliding into oblivion.

'No, no you don't Sam; you're not getting out of this so easily.' Jonas screamed angrily dropping the bloodstained cane he grabbed Sam by the hair and forced his head back stretching his throat to nearly snapping point. 'You can only pass out when I tell you too.'

'Go to hell.' Sam spat out, watching his own blood and spittle spray over the man's face.

'Oh you should not have done that.' Jonas said wiping his face with a handkerchief. Walking behind Sam Jonas took hold of the back of the chair, tipping it slightly he dragged Sam and the chair behind him.

'You are going to learn your place Samuel, and then when you do, I will teach it to you again.'

'Go to hell.' Sam growled again.

Jonas laughed and dragged the chair up the winding staircase; delighting in the gasps of pain coming from Sam, when they finally reached the top landing Jonas pushed the chair until it balanced on the step. 'One move Sammy and down you go like a sack of potatoes.'

'Jonas please, I know that you're in there, I know you can hear me fight him, fight the demon Jonas.'

'Why should he fight? He welcomed me with open arms Sammy so get used to it.'

'No, no I don't believe you, who are you?'

'Gee Sammy what a way to hurt a demon's feelings ... you really don't remember me?'

'Yeah well you know you see one demon you see them all.' Sam quipped.

'Sammy?' Dean's deep voice came from the second floor, Sam's head snapped up and he listened intently praying it wasn't just a trick of his abused mind and body. 'Sammy?'

'Dean? Dean up here!' Sam yelled the relief flooding through him started to numb the pain.

'No!' Jonas roared, this was not supposed to happen, Dean and Samuel were not meant to turn up here. 'No! This is not possible.'

'Count on it,' Sam said, 'and he sounds pissed.'

'Never gonna happen Sammy boy.' Jonas sneered, 'say goodbye to Dean Sammy.' Just as Dean's head appeared on the landing directly below them, Jonas pushed the chair and Sam off the top step, he stood with a satisfied smirk as the blur of man and furniture crashed down the winding staircase, bouncing off the walls and steps, blood sprays decorated everything as the broken forms merged into one mess.

'Sammy!' Dean screamed as he saw the tumbling grotesque ball of the chair and Sam, hurtling towards him. 'No! Sammy!' Moving without thinking Dean managed to scramble out of the way and then get a grip on the rope holding Sam to the mangled chair. Skidding to a halt just before the momentum of the collision dragged them both over the landing; Dean managed to halt Sam's death fall.

'Sammy?' Dean breathed his blood-slicked hands slipping on the rope, 'Samuel is he?'

'No, but he's hurt badly,' Samuel said finishing his cursory examination, 'let's get him untied.'

Dean watched nervously as Samuel managed to undo the ropes and remove the last remains of the chair, 'actually I think that the rope prevented even more serious injuries to him.' He muttered glancing up at Dean, 'he's badly bruised and I think his shoulder is dislocated but I ... I don't think that he has any life-threatening internal injuries, are – are you alright to help me into his – my room?'

Dean nodded and gritting his teeth against his own still healing injuries helped Samuel carry Sammy to the lush bedroom just behind them. 'Wow.' Dean breathed as they settled Sammy onto the bed and gazed around the rest of the room.

'Thanks, but it is rather modest compared to other houses nearby.' Samuel said quickly a blush staining his cheeks.

'Dean?' Sammy whispered as he moaned in pain and started to writhe in the bed, 'Dean I'm sorry.'

'Hey Sammy I'm here.' Dean whispered, perching himself on the edge of the bed he wiped his younger brother's fringe from his eyes and took in the sight he was starting to believe he would never see again.

'Dean? No, no trick.' Sam wept, 'so cold, so tired.'

'Hey, hey Dude it's me in the flesh, Samuel and me we got back we worked it out.' Dean said cupping his hands around Sam's face he wiped the tears away with the pads of his thumbs.

'D-Dean, Jonas have to stop ... he hurt ...' Sam tried to rush the words out but his mind and his mouth were not communicating with each other. His eyes started to close of their own accord snapping them open Sam managed to focus on Dean, 'p-please don't leave me again.'

'I-I'm not going anywhere Sammy, I'm right here.'

Sam nodded his head and let his eyes drift closed, 'Samuel can you get some salt and whatever protections you have here.'

'Yes certainly Dean ... He will be ...'

'Yeah I know, he'll be fine, we all will be but for now I think we need to put down some salt lines and then try to work out what Jonas has done to your Dean and what he did to Sammy.'

'I'll be right back ... it's all going to work out Dean, I know it will.'

'Yeah same here Samuel, oh and thanks I ah...'

'No problems, he is kin after all.'

'Yeah that's true.' Dean lifted his head and snorted a dry laugh, 'Dude I'm back in the nineteenth century ... we did it Samuel.'

'We certainly did Dean, now we just have to stop Jonas here and it will be safe for you and Sammy to return to your own time in the twenty-first century.' Samuel matched Dean's relieved smile and then hurried downstairs to find what they needed to protect them for the night.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed and I haven't had a chance to send a personal thanks too. (((((((((((((GROUP HUGS))))))))))))))))

PS Sorry it's not as long as usual but it is building up for the big climax and I thought that it would be good to end it there :) I know I'm evil! LOL and loving it.

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CHAPTER 23

'Chambre de la Mort'

Winchester's House

Dresden, Kansas

February 1878

Sam stared up at his older ancestor in shock, unable to comprehend at just how much they look alike and how their lives parallel. Wincing with pain he tried to move to a more comfortable position but his body just would not co-operate.

'Do you need some assistance ... Sam?' Samuel asked moving from the window to the bedside, 'are you in pain?'

'Yeah, yeah I am I guess,' Sam answered breathlessly, 'where's Dean?'

'Doing a – a recon?'

'Oh okay, Samuel your Dean ... Jonas.' Sam started to tell him when the pain flared up his spine and exploded in his head, 'argh hurts so much.' He wept unable to hide the tears.

'Easy Sam, that's it I'll just get some more pillows for you.' Samuel's hands moved swiftly seemingly of their own volition while Samuel made sure that his younger counterpart was comfortable. 'Is that better?'

'Ah yeah thanks.'

'I will get you some powders when Dean gets back.'

'Not the laudanum it makes me sick.' Sam said weakly brushing Samuel's hand away, 'please Samuel ... I have to...'

'Let me help you first please Sam.'

'It – it's your brother Dean.' Sam got out, pushing past the need to close his eyes and shut out the world again, 'Jonas ... said ...'

'What Sam?'

'Dean ... horse ... acci' ... hospit...needs help.'

'Dean had an accident?' Samuel cried out as Sam's eyes slid shut.

'Hospital ... Jonas...' Sam's voice trailed off as he drifted off into a pain-induced sleep again.

Dean came in and went straight to Sam's bedside, he turned grief-filled green eyes to the older Samuel who wore a stunned look on his face. 'Hey Samuel what's wrong?'

'Dean ... my Dean he ah ... Sammy said that ... Dean oh my god we might be too late.'

'What is it Samuel? You're not making sense.'

'Dean ... Sammy said my Dean is in hospital, that Jonas told him ... an accident but Dean's an expert horseman, Baby is his horse and would never knowingly throw him.'

'His horse is called Baby?'

'Yes, why?'

'That's what I call my car.' Dean mused, 'go Samuel, I'll stay here with Sammy and keep an eye out for Jonas, you go and find out about Dean.'

'Thank you, will you be alright alone?'

'Fine, just go.' Dean grinned but the smile didn't reach his eyes he watched the nineteenth century version of Sam leave and then he gave his own twenty-first century Sammy his full attention. 'Hey Sammy, I'm right here.'

'Mm... Dean?' Sam murmured in his sleep, unconsciously moving closer to where Dean's voice came from. The movement gave Dean a chance to check out all of Sam's injuries, the older ones and the most recent. 'If I could Sam I would take you home now.'

'Home?' Sam blinked and stared at Dean trying to work out which one of the three he really was. 'Dean?'

'Hey there Sammy, you with me dude?'

'Yeah ... where are we?' Sam ran his tongue over his lips, 'thirsty.'

Dean held a glass of water to Sam's lips at just the right angle to make sure it didn't gush out and choke Sam. 'Thanks.' Sam smiled wanly and settled back on the pillows, 'I'm tired of this place and time Dean.'

'Gee you are the Master of the understatement aren't ya kiddo.'

'I just want ... where's Samuel?'

'Gone to check on his Dean.'

'Oh, any sign of Jonas?'

'No, sorry Sammy he's gone.'

'It's not really him Dean, it's a demon and it said that we know it.' Sam said, 'it said that it wanted to stop the Winchester family from existing in the future.'

'Anything else?' Dean asked slowly.

'It has a way of moving between the years, that is how it knows exactly what is happening here and in our time.'

'Fuck.'

'Dean, I – I don't.'

'Don't say it Sammy, you are not going to die here, not on my watch.'

'Dean, we haven't got anything here, no real medications and the health ... well just say it really needs upgrading.'

'Sam ... you really should rest.'

'Are you alright Dean?'

'Yeah, yeah I'm fine...'

'No, no you're not.' Sam's frown deepened as he took in his brother's appearance, 'and you limp, why?'

'I ah just got my cast off.' Dean said dismissively.

'Dean...'

'Well, well isn't this touching, two brothers holding hands in bed?' Jonas mocked them from the doorway.

'Get the fuck away from my brother you pervert.' Dean snarled launching himself at the demon possessed man.

'Dean!' Sam shouted but he was too late, the demon raised his hand and stopped Dean in mid-movement then with a swipe of his hands, smashed him into the wall. Landing awkwardly on his still healing fractured leg, Dean felt the bone snap under his weight, cursing he pulled himself upright and attempted to get to his feet, or rather to stand on his good foot. Balancing himself, he glared at Jonas.

'That all ya got?' he snarled determined to take Jonas' attention away from Sammy. 'Gee now I thought you had more than that.'

'Never shut up do you Dean?' the demon yelled angrily, 'no matter where you are, you don't know when to keep your mouth shut.'

'Yeah well, what can I say it's a gift?'

'Dean, Dean, Dean what am I to do with you?'

'Hmm come closer and I'll whisper in your ear.' Dean taunted it; sweat trickled down his face and neck, making him shiver with the tension and pain flaring from his leg.

'Aw has Dean got a booboo?' Jonas mocked turning his attention back to Sam, 'whatcha think Sammy boy we put him out of his misery?'

'Dean drop now.' Sam yelled pulling out the rock salt filled rifle from under the bed and in one swift movement took aim, and fired hitting Jonas squarely in the chest the possessed man disappeared howling in anger. Dean looked up from where he landed scowling angrily, 'thanks for the warning Sammy.'

'Where did it go?' Sam asked ignoring Dean's petulance.

'Dunno but it'll be back ... damn salt lines didn't ... shit.'

'What?'

'The one on the door ... it is smudged enough to allow it in.' Dean fumed, 'Samuel must have accidentally disturbed it when he left so quickly.'

'Dean ...'

'I – fuck I can't get over ... Sammy get back in that bed.' Dean snapped when he saw Sam slide out of the bed and stand next to it trying to regain his balance.

'So tired of being a – a freaking victim.' Sam muttered using the bed to prop himself up on he slowly made it to the doorway, letting go of the bed he took a few stumbling steps crashing to his knees just by the doorway. With a shaking hand and blurred vision, Sam managed to fix the breach in the salt line before turning to face Dean. Resting his head and back against the wall, Sam closed his eyes and took in a few deep breathes.

'Sammy you okay?'

'Huh?' Sam blinked a few times and squinted at his brother, 'headache.' He mumbled, 'Dean?'

'Yeah Dude?' Dean asked trying once again to stand and balance on his good leg, when Sam didn't answer Dean lifted his head and stared at his brother his mouth dropping open in horror. Unconscious Sam listed sideways huddled against a large chest of drawers, a thin trickle of blood covered his upper lip from a nosebleed, but then Dean saw another trickle of the crimson fluid trailing down the side of Sam's neck. Agonisingly slow but determined Dean managed to reach his brother, pushing the soft hair out of the way he found the blood was coming from Sam's ear; tenderly he lifted his head and checked the other one muttering thanks when he realised that it was only the one ear. Though that was bad enough.

'Damn it Sammy, what do we do now?' Dean whispered, pulling his brother into his embrace he cradled Sam's head close to his chest, keeping it tilted to allow the blood to flow freely. Finally Dean succumbed to his own pain and let the darkness win, both brothers huddled together against the wall, neither aware of where they were or what was happening.

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

(((((((((((((GROUP HUGS)))))))))))))))) To all of my reviewers new and regular I appreciate every comment in every review I receive.

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CHAPTER 24

'Chambre de la Mort'

Winchester's House

Dresden, Kansas

February 1878

_Lightening crashed around the house, striking a tree in a flare of nature's defiance of changes in the natural order. Another roll of thunder shook the walls, coming closer with each clap._

_Children huddled under a large table, sobbing and clutching each other in terror as the storm raged on. Their ragged clothing barely enough to keep the sudden chills away. 'Come out; come out, wherever you are.' A voice taunted them, laughing and teasing it sounded cruel and inhuman. _

_Heavy footsteps made them jump as they came closer to their hiding spot, another flash of lightening lit up the room, illuminating the painted face of their pursuer, the wide painted eyes and thick lips in a fixed maniacal grin and the whiter than white skin glowed against the stormy lights._

_A door crashed open and the voice yelled, the children screamed and the lightening struck again, another tree closer than the last. Fire burst in a flash and then hissed out when the rain fell. 'Where oh where have the little children gone?' the voice called out in a singsong tone, giggles interwoven through the words, a hand pushed under the table and a high pitched scream drowned out the thunder. A little girl struggled and went limp, her scream dying on her silent lips. Blood dripped from the ceiling covering the faces and mouths of the remaining children as they tried to runaway._

Sam struggled weakly against Dean's grip, his mind still filled with the all-consuming fear emanating from the children. He felt the hand grip his arm and drag him away. He could still see the grotesque painted face hovering over him.

'Sammy please wake up.' Dean tried again to coax his brother back to consciousness. Jerked back to wakefulness by Sam's screams and struggles Dean swallowed down on his own pain as he tried to calm and wake his younger brother.

'Dean? Sam?' Samuel's voice came floating up the stairs, banging the front door shut he dropped his coat and hat on a chair and hurried upstairs to find his future relations.

'Dean? Sam? Oh my god what happened?'

'Samuel? That you?' Dean blinked up at the older version of Sam, 'we ah had a visitor.'

'But – but the salt ... I disturbed it didn't I?' Samuel hung his head low unable to meet Dean's gaze.

'Don't even think about that Samuel, I need help with Sammy.' Dean snapped a little sharper than he intended but it worked breaking into Samuel's instant guilt, just like Sammy.

'What happened?' Samuel asked as he managed to lift Sam back onto the bed before going to help Dean. 'Your leg.'

'Ah Jonah and friend, they wanted to play.' Dean grimaced, 'I ah ouch ... I landed on my bad leg.'

'Damn it Dean I think it is broken again.' Samuel muttered his nimble fingers moving down the damaged limb.

'Samuel you cussed,' Dean gave him a lopsided grin as he tried to repress the pain flaring through his leg and hip. 'Check Sammy please I'll be fine.'

'No, no you won't Dean your leg is badly hurt again, I'll check Sam in a minute but first I will tend to your leg before infection sets. Dean it is different here, you can very well have a limb amputated in this time after infection.'

'Samuel!'

'Dean!' Samuel countered ignoring the frustrated snaps and death glares he continued to tend to Dean's wounds. Once satisfied that his leg was once again stabilised and that his other injuries were cleaned and dressed, Samuel nodded with satisfaction and turned his attention to the youngest of the Winchesters.

'Sam?' he whispered running a hand over the boy's forehead, 'that's strange.' He mumbled a frown forming as he continued to check Sam. 'Dean we have to get him back to your time, where you have the medicines and doctors to save his life.'

'What are you talking about Samuel?' Dean demanded pulling himself upright, leaning against the bedhead.

'He has all of the signs of a fever but his skin is cold to touch,' Samuel started and then stopped himself, taking a deep steadying breath he tenderly rolled Sam over to check the wounds on his back. 'Dean gangrene has started to set in.' He confirmed without looking up at the other future Dean.

'Gan-gangrene?' Dean stammered trying to make sense of what was happening, 'how?'

'As I said the risks of infection are greater here, Sam has sustained severe and repeated injuries since ... his body just can't take anymore.'

'Are you saying that if I don't get him back to the future and to modern medicine...?'

'He will die Dean.' Samuel finished for him.

The sound of a slamming door made Dean jump and scramble for the rifle, 'what the fuck is going on Samuel?'

'My Dean has just come in, it's alright I promise.'

'How? I thought...'

'Apparently the news of my brother's demise was greatly exaggerated.' Samuel sighed.

'No!' Sam screamed weakly fighting off Samuel's gentle ministrations, 'no, no leave please leave us alone.' He whimpered. 'So cold.'

'Sammy?' Dean cried out pulling himself closer to his brother he tried to wrap his arms around Sam but in the end settled with cupping his face and forcing him to lie still.

Panting heavily Sam continued to struggle against the hands no matter how good they felt. '_Time to play, time to die aint gonna get way from me now. Bad children no one likes bad children, must be punished.' The voice snarled now, 'must be punished, dirty, bad children.' Another child struggled against the grip of the clawed hand but soon stilled as it dragged the boy away. 'Bad dirty children, no one wants you, you're bad.' The remaining children huddled closer to him, he was the biggest boy and the strongest, and he would look after them. They stared at him with dull eyes their last remnants of hope the only light left in them. He would save them, but he had to save himself. The hand came back feeling around under the table for the next child. The lightening lit the room again and they saw him squatting down and peering under the cloth. Blood spattered over his shirt in a strange pattern, he cocked his head to one side and watched them with amusement. 'Time to play.' The voice sang but the mouth of the stranger never moved, it remained in the painted wide smile, 'who will play with me now? Dirty, dirty children, throw away children.'_

Sam writhed in the bed and tried to fight off the hands that held him tightly, he whimpered and pulled away nearly falling off the bed in the process. A heavy shuddering breath escaped from his lips as he sat up and stared unseeingly at Samuel.

'Dean?' He cried out, cringing inwardly when he heard the desperation in his own voice.

'Sammy, hey dude it's okay I'm right here.' Dean called catching Sam's hand, 'what's going on Sammy?'

'Dean? I ah vision I think.'

'Dude that was one of the weirdest reactions you have ever had to a vision.' Dean exploded instantly regretting it when he saw Sammy cringe and push himself further into the pillows. 'Sammy talk to me please.'

'Bad dirty children, no one wants a dirty little boy.' Sam whispered, his eyes growing bigger, 'bad boy, bad dirty boy.'

'Okay Sammy you're starting to freak me out here, what's going on with you?' Dean said twisting around until he could see Sam's face clearly. 'Tell me about your vision.'

'Ah big house, lightening and thunder ... rain, but not cold. Children hiding under a big table ... oh god the hands, the hands and that voice.'

'Sammy hey it's alright, did you see a face?'

'Painted face, red mouth and painted eyes,' Sam continued as though Dean never interrupted him. 'Hands, claw hands ... blood so much blood... dripping from the ceiling.' Sam moaned and started to twist his hands in the sheets, 'won't come off, why won't it come off?'

'Sammy, Sammy calm down dude you're not making any sense.' Dean kept his voice low and monotone, not wanting to distress Sam anymore than necessary to get him to snap out of it.

'The blood, so much blood Dean.' Sam said holding his hands up to Dean, 'I can't get their blood off.'

'Whose blood Sammy?'

'The children, I saw them hiding under the table when it came in and took them one by one.'

'Oh my God.' Samuel breathed his face paling as he realised what Sam was talking about in his vision.

'Samuel do you know what he's talking about?'

'Ah just before all of this happened with us ... Dean and I were working on a particularly bad hunt.'

'Care to elaborate or do I have to play twenty freaking questions?'

'I am going to go and get Dean first, he will be able to tell you more of the details he did most of the research on this one to begin with.' Samuel said and left the room quickly before he could be questioned further.

Sam sank back against the pillows staring at his hands, 'Dean what's happening to me?'

'I – I'm not sure, I'm not sure about any of this Sammy.' Dean sighed exhausted he pulled himself up to place himself next to Sam on the large bed, 'I do know that I am so freaking tired with it all.'

'Do you ... do you know how to get us home Dean?'

'I hope so Sammy I truly hope so.'

'These Winchesters, they're not us and we're never going to become them are we Dean?' Sam asked turning his head to stare at Dean's profile. 'All of the time I have been here Dean, I feel like I'm getting weaker like my strength is getting sucked outta me.'

'Sammy?' Dean moved to look at his younger brother more clearly, he took in the greyish tinge to Sam's skin, the newest injuries and the older still healing ones that were visible. He knew that there were injuries unable to be seen by the naked eye, injuries to Sam's sense of self, to his innocence and his trust-ability. No one had ever ripped his soul from him so cruelly and so violently before and what was left Dean feared would never heal again. 'We're going to get home again Sammy I promise.'

'The demon ... the one who started all of this...'

'Yeah what about it?'

'What if ... what if it was summoned here to begin with?'

'You've lost me Sammy.'

'The library Samuel has here is amazing it really is; he has books on all kinds of supernatural stuff, some that old that they looked like originals.' Sam took a deep breath and winced as he tried to get more comfortable. 'Before Jonas ... before he did what he did ... I ... this is all jumbled Dean but I found books on black magic, necromancy, Satanism you name it, he has it ... and not all of it is for research he also has a Book of Shadows ... his own complete with a skin cover.' Sam finished in a hoarse whisper, when he heard the sounds of the other Winchesters coming closer.

Before Dean could say anything, he looked up and stared in shock at his nineteenth century counterpart.

'So this is the modern Dean.'

'So you're the ancient Dean.'

'Smart-mouth.'

'Could say the same to you.'

'Dean!' both Sam and Samuel exclaimed at the sametime.

'So ah you were going to tell us about the kids Sammy saw in his vision.' Dean said breaking the sudden silence.

Dean and Samuel exchanged glances before they sat down on the end of the bed side by side mirroring the modern day Winchesters. 'We heard of an attack on an orphanage not far from here, it used to be a poor house but soon the children outnumbered the adults. Most of them were dumped during the night, especially babies.' The older Dean started the story watching the younger versions carefully, 'a deranged man, escaped from ... from an asylum dressed as a clown broke into the home and proceeded to murder the children one at a time. He claimed he was saving them because they were bad and dirty children and no one wanted them.'

'He said that in my vision.' Sam said softly, flinching at the mention of an asylum, his memories still too close to the surface to ignore. Dropping his gaze Sam stared down at his fingers twisted in the sheets and waited for the story to continue.

'The police caught him and he was publicly executed straight after his trial, he killed thirteen children, they huddled under the large table in the kitchen but he soon found them and one by one dragged them into another room. He butchered them.' Samuel finished speaking and glanced at his older brother to continue in their combined storytelling effort.

'Six months later in a poor house not far from here either, the same thing happened, during a thunderstorm, thirteen children were murdered but this time it was a supernatural killing spree. The ghost of the clown man returned and started killing the children.'

'How do you know it was the same man?' Dean and Sam asked them together, Dean's tone rang with scepticism while Sam's voice sounded melancholic.

'The descriptions by the surviving children, from his makeup to his bone like hand and the words were verbatim for the originals.' Samuel answered concentrating on Sam's down-turned face.

'What did you do?' the younger Dean asked his frown fast turning into a scowl.

'We checked it out, found out where he was buried and salted and burned the remains, why would you have visions on something that was done and finished before this even happened?' Samuel asked Sam ignoring the darkening look on the younger Dean's face.

'I – I don't know.' Sam whispered, 'I'm tired Dean.' he rolled over to face his brother and closed his eyes effectively shutting out the other Winchesters.

'We will ... we will go and let you sleep.' Samuel said sliding off the bed, he nodded to his older brother and then turned back to the brothers on the bed. 'Please treat my room as yours; I will sleep in the bedroom next door.'

'Thanks Samuel.' The younger Dean smiled; he couldn't believe that the man whose friendship he valued over the time his Sammy was missing could be anything but ... as he watched Samuel and Dean leave he could have sworn he saw a flicker of something in the eyes of the two men.

'This place gives me the freaking creeps.' Dean muttered.

'Have they gone Dean?' Sam asked, his eyes open in slits just enough for him to look at his brother, almost like a drunk nursing his beer, he stared possessively at him, drinking in the sight of Dean sitting on the bed.

'Yeah dude they are.' Dean grinned conspiratorially. 'Sammy I got a bad feeling about this place.'

'Yeah I know but I know why I have, it is freaking painful here.' Sam managed a grin and opened his eyes wide to watch Dean fidget. 'It is so good to see you again Dean, I really thought...'

'Don't say it Sammy please, don't say it.' Dean mumbled trying to make himself comfortable he wiggled down in the bed again.

'I thought I was gonna die in that place Dean,' Sam said now he started he couldn't stop, 'they, they did things to me Dean but it wasn't just me. All of the patients were ... they put me in, in this place, they called the tombs, and, and they chained me like an animal and stripped me.' Tears fell down Sam's face, as the memories flashed in eerily exact detail and colour, he could even smell the pungent odours from human waste and often rotting remains.'

'Sammy ...'

'There were two guards, that ... hurt me.' Sam continued oblivious to Dean's slight interruption, lost in the painful images and memories. 'The other Dean, when he was still affected by the ring, would come and tell them to do whatever ... I gave up Dean I just wanted to die.'

'Sammy, Sam look at me ... I'm going to get you home and you will never have to deal with that Dean or anyone else from this time ever again. But I can tell you this, if I see those bastards before we leave here ... they will suffer before they die I promise you Sam.'

'Thanks.' Sam said giving Dean a teary smile, sniffling he laid his head back down and sighed heavily, 'I – I don't know what was worse, though what they did to me or those hunters ... or the Dean from here why did they all think that they could. Am I some sort of freak that has victim tattooed on his face?'

'Sammy no, never bad things happen...'

'Don't Dean; don't give me that bad things happen speech. After all the evil we have seen and fought against, humans are the most evil of them all.' Sam finished as exhaustion finally took hold and he fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

---------

Samuel sipped his brandy and sighed deeply, it felt good to be in his own home and own time again. He glanced over at his own Dean and watched the older man reading, engrossed in the book he took no notice of the small chuckle and sigh coming from Samuel.

'You do know that they will want to return to the future don't you Dean.' Samuel said carefully wording his statement to get all of Dean's attention.

'Yes I know.'

'We have never been stronger since ...'

'Samuel - remember what happened when we delved last time. I almost beat you to death on several occasions and we unleashed that thing.'

'Remember Augustine is not a thing Dean, he will hear you say that.' Samuel admonished him.

'I know exactly what Augustine is,' Dean said looking up at his younger brother he took his spectacles off and rubbed his eyes wearily, 'I never want to feel like that again Samuel. What I did to that young man upstairs, I can never forgive myself.'

'Dean the power ... the rings I do not want to go back to being the sickly version of myself I was before.'

'The future has gone to your head Samuel, clear it. The younger Winchesters are our kin have you forgotten?'

'No, but I have also not forgotten what Augustine has done for us, what he will do for us.'

'How did Sam see what he did?' Dean mused putting his book aside he stood up, limped slightly over to the bar, and poured a long drink of whiskey.

'What? The vision of the orphanage?' Samuel blinked and stared at his brother confused. 'Does it really matter?'

'Samuel, I don't understand you ... Sam saved your life by all accounts and he has suffered more than anyone ... what have you done Samuel?'

'Nothing yet, he is weakening though, perhaps he will not make it back to the future.'

'Samuel!' Dean exclaimed, 'what are you up to?'

'Have you ever wondered what lies ahead of us Dean?' Samuel asked his eyes shining with fervour, 'I saw things in the future that we can only dream of, think of the power, the wealth we can glean from this experience and all for what? Two pitiful brothers who do not even exist in this time? Who have nothing but trouble in their own time?'

'Samuel did you bring Augustine back with you when you returned with Dean?'

'No, not that I am aware of, as far as I know he is still in the future living out his fantasies with a little she-demon in the guise of Jessica.' Samuel shrugged, 'I am just thinking out loud that is all.'

'We are going to help Sam and Dean get back to their time, tell them how to stop Augustine and we're going to destroy the portal Samuel it is too dangerous. It is already corrupting you.'

'Corrupt me? I have never felt so free, so strong as I do now.' Samuel grinned and raised his glass to his brother. 'Come brother celebrate with me, I am no longer ill or weak.'

'And yet young Sam is dying.' Dean muttered as he raised his glass and inclined his head to his brother, 'to you dear heart.'

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

For all of my reviewers and regular readers... (((((((((((((GROUP HUGS))))))))))))))))

Author's Note: I am not a medical person, all medical information mentioned I found after googling and finding MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.

Author's Note: This is NOT a death fic, I have never written one and never will. Character deaths only apply if it has happened on the show, example John's death ... Sam and Dean will always survive my imagination!!!!

---------------

CHAPTER 25

'Chambre de la Mort'

Winchester's House

Dresden, Kansas

February 1878

'Dean ... Dean?' Sam cried out tossing in his sleep restlessly, each movement causing more pain but he couldn't stop writhing if he wanted to. His eyes opened to slits as he focused on the blurred room around him, 'Dean?' he called again, worried when his brother failed to appear in his line of vision. 'Dean?' He whispered again through choked back sobs.

'Sh Sam don't want to wake Dean do we?' a hoarse voice echoed in Sam's ear, painfully turning his head in the direction of the voice Sam frowned there was nothing there. 'Come to me Sam ... come to me in the library.'

'Who?' Sam's frown morphed into a mask of fear, 'who are you?'

'Come to me Sammy ... come to me in the library.'

Sam found himself slowly pulling himself out of the large bed, spikes of pain shot up his legs and he felt as though they were going to buckle under him but he managed to stay upright. Glancing down he looked at Dean sleeping soundly, taking a deep breath Sam used the wall to support him as he made his way down the short distance to the library, all of his hunter senses screamed at him to stop and to wake Dean but something stronger over-rode those impulses and pushed him forward.

Gasping for breath he finally reached his destination, the door swinging open before he could put a shaking hand on the doorknob. He tried to stop himself from entering the room but something so strong compelled him to keep moving.

'Dean?' he mumbled softly wanting his big brother to come and save him but there was only darkness and silence behind him.

--------------

Dean stirred and rolled over to check on Sam, the room bathed in the dawn's golden light gave it a soft warm feeling. 'Hey Sammy time to ... Sammy?' Dean scanned the room, there was no sign of Sam anywhere. Reaching over he touched the spot where Sam had been asleep, it was icy cold but damp. Lifting his fingers closer to his face to see them clearly he saw the red stickiness of Sam's blood adhering to his skin like glue. 'Sammy?'

Taking a deep breath Dean lowered his feet over the edge of the bed and gingerly tried to put weight on his broken leg. A hiss escaped from behind his clenched teeth as fiery flames of pain licked their way up through the fractured bones.

'Sammy?' Dean followed the blood droplets out of the room, using the wall he hopped along too slow for his own satisfaction but then at least he was moving, 'hang on Sammy I'm coming.'

'Dean?' A nauseatingly familiar voice came from the top of the stairs.

'Hey ah Dean.'

'What do you think you are doing?' The older Dean Winchester appeared next to his kin and took his arm, letting the younger man lean his weight against him.'

'Sammy ... he's ... damn ... following him ... ah blood.' Dean tried to force the words out but his concentration was kept busy just keeping himself upright and conscious.

'Okay, okay slow down and let me help.' The older Dean said softly.

'Thanks.' Dean grimaced relieved that he had the help, 'think ... heading ... library.'

Slowly the two Deans made their way down the hallway and stopped just outside the room letting the younger one to catch his breath.

'Ready?' the question broke through the fogginess descending on him and he nodded slowly bracing himself for more movement.

The older Dean glanced across at the achingly familiar face, now white as chalk and etched with deep lines of pain. 'I am so sorry Dean.' He muttered so softly he was sure that the younger man didn't hear him and was startled when jade green eyes met his, 'let's go and get your Sammy. We have to get you both back to the future before he...' Dean stopped himself when he realised what he was saying.

'Be-before what?'

The nineteenth century Dean shook his head and pushed the library door open, met with an icy cold burst of air. The identical men share a quick look of horror before moving deeper into the darkened room.

'Sammy?' Dean called for his brother softly, 'Sammy?'

'Dean?' the reply so faint that for a moment Dean thought that he was imagining it.

'Here old man over here.' The older man's voice cut through his morbid assumptions as Dean felt himself propelled forward again, the lethargy kept descending but he pushed through it embracing the cold nothingness on the other side.

They found Sammy slumped against the far wall, a heavy bookcase pinning him in place although it didn't seem to be causing any visible injury just kept him from moving.

'Sammy?' Dean whispered letting his older counterpart to help him sit down on the floor as close to Sam as possible. 'Hey Sammy, whatcha doing dude?'

'Dean?' Sam croaked blinking furiously he tried to focus on his brother but failed.

'Hey Sammy, no, no more sleeping gotta stay awake for me kiddo.' Dean glanced up at his ancestor with a look of complete despondency and horror, his baby brother was dying in front of him.

'Hang in there Sam, Dean I'll be right back.' The older Dean said as he was already moving away from the young brothers; he had to stop this and to stop it now.

'Sammy?' Dean reached over to brush a stray lock of hair out of his brother's eyes, 'hey dude we're going to get you out of here.'

'Dean ... can't feel ... anything.' Sam groaned his head listing towards Dean's touch, seeing this Dean kept his hand resting on Sam's face, moving his thumb gently over Sam's cheekbone in tiny circles.

'Hang in there Sammy; we're going to get you out of here.'

'Don't wanna die here Dean.' Sam said as his eyes slid closed again.

'No, no Sammy stay with me.' Dean cried out but this time he got no response, his fingers moved down to check his carotid pulse, heaving a deep sigh when he felt it faint but there.

Hands touched him and he looked up into a pair of worried green eyes, 'Dean old man we have to get Sam out of here.'

'He's unconscious again.' Dean mumbled, 'gotta get that off him.' Dean waved his hand unsteadily at the fallen bookcase.

'I am about to shift it, but Dean I need you to stay very still and hold Sam still for me can you do that from where you are?'

'Just do it.'

'I am so sorry for this dear ones, I never realised just how far gone ...' Dean's voice trailed away as he levered the heavy piece of furniture and managed to lift it off Sam's lower body. An audible sigh escaped from Sam's slack mouth as he started to topple forward, a smudge of blood and puss stained the wall behind him.

'Sam?' Dean cried out in horror as he saw the mess of Sam's back.

'Oh my sweet ...' the older Dean stared in horror at the stains and then at his own hands as the young Sam collapsed against him. 'Forgive me dear heart.' He whispered brokenly. 'I have to get the two of you back to your own time.' He declared clearing the lump from his throat with a harsh cough. 'Now, before ...'

'Before what?'

'I am so sorry Dean this was never ... this should never have gotten.'

'What? This should never have gotten what Dean?'

'Samuel was dying ... his heart ... he was born with a weak heart, the doctors were surprised that he survived past childhood let alone into his thirtieth year. But each year he has progressively gotten sicker.'

'Go on.'

'He started researching everything that he could get his hands on, determined to find a way to slow or stop his imminent death.' The older Dean took a deep breath and stole another glance at the too-still Sammy, 'Dean we have to get Sam out of here.'

'Then you had better hurry up and tell me the rest now.' Dean growled his big brother hackles rose fuelling his rage.

'He started, we started to dabble in black magic, anything supernatural that would stop ... he started his own book of shadows ... he found a – an ancient spell, necromancy.'

'Ah fuck.' Dean breathed knowing what was to come next.

'He summoned the demon through the green stone, we actually travelled across the seas to find the right stone. Unbeknownst to us someone else knew of the spell and of the stone. They are the ones who fashioned the rings and cane-head; they also followed us back to here.'

'Go on.' Dean said when the other Dean stopped lost in memories.

'At first Samuel seemed to have controlled the spell and the demon, he started to get better and we destroyed the rocks or I thought we had, Samuel had a taste of the power that it yielded of the new life he had. You see the spell worked for a short while but then he started to get ill again. Fainting spells, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath it was all back. He tried to summon the demon again this time something went wrong he unleashed Augustine. We both received such power and such strength but it came at an awful cost Dean. Then out of nowhere the ring and the cane turned up, when I put that ring on I had never felt ... I attacked my brother, I did things to strangers, I hunted more than just the supernatural. While I wore the ring I thought that I was indestructible.' Dean paused and waited for his words to have the desired impact before he continued, 'Augustine had us in his power, he needed to possess ... I guess Jonah was the best one to ... together Samuel and Augustine found the portal to the future, the rest ... well you know.'

'Is there a way of breaking the spell?'

'This is Samuel's book of shadows and this,' he passed the two books to the younger Dean, 'is the ancient text he found ... take them with you.'

'Dean?'

'I am opening the portal for the last time, after this ... it has been good to know that our future family ... that the future of the Winchester family is in such good hands.'

'Dean I ...'

'Save Sammy, and please, please tell him that I am so sorry for everything.' Before Dean could say anything to that a wind swirled around them, scattering books and papers as it picked up in strength and ferocity. Dean cradled Sam to his chest and tried to blink through the chaos. 'Dean watch out.' He screamed as he saw someone attack his ancestor but his words were lost on the howling winds.

-------------

Dean moaned and slowly let his eyes open, he had Sammy cradled against his chest, his broken leg hurt like hell but they were back, back inside the cabin, back in their own time.

'Dean!' He muttered worried about his ancestor but he pushed that aside when he felt movement coming from Sam. 'Sammy?'

'C-c-cold Dean.' Sam whispered clutching at Dean like he was his only lifeline. 'So cold.'

'Hang tight Sammy gonna get you some help.' Dean said gently extricating himself from Sam for a moment he dragged himself painstakingly across the room to the phone on the stand between the beds. Tugging on the cord, he let the telephone drop onto his chest. 'Hang in there Sammy.' He whispered as he tried to focus on the keypad long enough to dial 911.

A woman's voice came from the distance, but Dean wasn't registering where it was, he whispered for help, shuddering when he thought he screamed it, the words so loud in his ears. Why didn't she understand that they needed help?

---------------

**Room 112**

**Memorial Hospital**

**Dresden Kansas**

**March 2006**

The stringent smell of antiseptic woke Dean with a start and he started coughing, choking under the smell. 'What the f...?'

'Sir? I need you to lay still for me.' _Who was that? Sammy?_ Dean grimaced and tried to swat the invasive hands away. 'Sir, please I need you to lay still so I can finish...'

'Sammy?' Dean croaked clutching at that damn hand, confused to why he couldn't latch on to it.

'Sir if you don't stop I am going to have to restrain you.' The voice insisted and started to get to Dean.

'Sammy?' Dean tried again this time he managed to sound coherent enough for the voice to solidify into a person who stopped what they were doing to answer him.

'The other young man?'

Dean nodded, 'my brother.' He mumbled with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

'Honey don't fret your brother is going to be okay,' the nurse smiled and stepped aside to allow Dean a clear view at the bed next to him.

'What ... what's wrong with him?' Dean asked, coughing again.

'Take it easy Honey, so what's your name?'

'D-Dean.'

'Okay Dean, I'm Heather your nurse ... Doctor Fin will be here soon to talk to you, I just have to finish up dressing your back and hip and I'm done.'

'Heather? My ... Sammy?'

'Now your brother there was in terrible shape when the paramedics found the two of you, he ... I am sorry honey but they had to resuscitate him twice on the way here, he is lying on his stomach because of the infection in his back.'

'Infection?'

'I'm going to get the doctor for you because he will be able to explain everything to you.' Heather smiled and patted Dean's arm, 'stay put handsome.'

'And where?' Dean's question got cut short with another bout of coughing, Heather frowned she could hear the rattle in his chest without a stethoscope.

'I'll be right back.' She smiled again and left Dean alone with his brother.

'Sammy?' he whispered forcing himself to sit up he frowned at the extra weight he could feel on his leg, looking down he snarled, 'great, just great another fucking cast!'

'Dean?' Sam mumbled barely audible but loud enough for Dean's Sammy-sensitive ears to hear.

'Sammy?' Dean turned to see a pair of pain-filled-green-eyes staring at him.

'Hey ... where are we?'

'Hospital ... we got back Sammy, the other Dean ...'

'Back? Our own?'

'Yeppers, now just rest.' Dean said as another coughing fit took hold, 'let me talk to the doctors and police okay.'

'Kay.' Sam mumbled as he fell asleep again. The door swung open, a young looking man in a white coat swept in, with a harried, and exhausted look plastered on his face and shadowed dark brown eyes, followed closely by a pretty nurse Dean recognised as Heather.

'Dean, my name is Michael Fin; I was the doctor on duty when the paramedics brought you and your brother in.'

'Hey.' Dean nodded his head, a cough rumbled in his chest but he kept it from spilling up and out. 'What's wrong with Sammy?'

'First up I want to check you over.'

'M'fine, check Sammy first.' Dean protested before that cough surfaced, this time the fit took his breath away. He didn't even acknowledge the fact that had a nasal cannula feeding him oxygen or had another needle jab into his arm, he fought to calm his breathing and to find out about Sam.

'Let me listen to your chest and then I'll tell you about your brother ... deal?'

Dean nodded and concentrated on breathing without another coughing attack.

Michael Fin smiled warmly and listened to Dean breath, occasionally asking his patient to take a breath and hold it. Then he tapped his fingers across Dean's chest and upper back, finally he checked his glands around his neck and in his throat for any obstructions or swellings.

Finally the doctor let Dean sit back and helped him get a little more comfortable before he perched himself on the edge of the bed and carefully worked out what to say before he said it.

'Okay Dean I am going to have to run some tests, blood tests but ... you have pneumonia, aside from your other injuries and infections. I am going to start you on a rather aggressive broadspectrum antibiotic immediately through the IV, as well as increased fluid and oxygen to help you breath.'

'Sammy?'

'I'm getting there,' Michael shook his head in the single-mindedness of his patient, 'your leg is broken, it seems that a newly healed fracture was rebroken, we were able to realign the bones, place a steel rod in place and after six to eight weeks the cast can come off. We have dressed all of your other cuts and deeper wounds and repaired a tear in your large intestine.'

'So whatcha saying doc?'

'I'm saying that I cannot believe you are still alive, let alone sitting there giving me death glares!'

'Sorry, it's just ...'

'Deep breathes, let the oxygen help.' Michael said as Dean tried to calm down after another coughing fit.

'Sammy?'

'Okay, your brother arrested twice in transit and had to be resuscitated in the ambulance. He arrested again in the ER, once he was stable, he was sent for surgery to repair several internal injuries. Also, the gangrene was scraped out of the welts on his back, and then they were packed and dressed. We have him on a similar antibiotic we are giving you and he is responding to treatment.'

'What is it Doc?'

'Was your brother ever diagnosed with a congenital heart condition?'

'No, man he's as healthy as a horse, why? What are you saying doc?'

'Sam's heart ... I really have no explanations for you except that I don't understand just how Sam's condition has never been picked up before this.'

'what, what do you mean his condition?' Dean paled and stared over at his brother in horror, after what Sam had suffered over the last couple of months to ... Samuel had a heart condition. 'Could this ... be hereditary?'

'Why yes, do you know of any family history?'

'Ah, great-uncle I think dunno what he had but I remember hearing talk of ...' Dean coughed and lay back against his pillows suddenly feeling very tired.

'That may explain some ... okay we have done the tests and had him examined by a cardiologist Sam has what is known as aortic stenosis or aortic valve stenosis, this is overwhelming I know but basically it is where the aorta – the large artery that starts in the left lower chamber of the heart, the ventricle. Aortic stenosis is where there is narrowing or obstruction of the aortic valve. Preventing it from opening properly and blocks the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta. Now as it narrows the pressure increases inside the left heart ventricle, causing it to become thicker and decreases the blood flow. Over time the pressure continues to increase, blood can back up to the lungs and shortness of breath can result. Light-headedness and fainting are symptoms as well as chest pain, the shortness of breath I already mentioned now it can be present at birth or may develop after something like a bad case of rheumatic fever.'

'But it can be hereditary?'

'Yes, it seems so and is more common in men.' Michael took another breath and then continued, 'Dean due to Sam's massive infections and the presence of gangrene he has developed a complication often associated with aortic stenosis.'

'What?' Dean asked his voice strangled with emotions it came out as a hoarse whisper.

'He has what is called endocarditis, an inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and valves.'

So what can be done?'

'Firstly we are going to treat the endocarditis with specific antibiotics once that is under control he will be assessed for surgery if he is not considered at high-risk then they will operate and repair the valve. However, if he is deigned too high-risk then there is another procedure which is not so invasive called a valvuloplasty, where a balloon is placed into an artery in the groin, which is advanced to the heart placed across the damaged valve and inflated. Relieving the obstruction, then he will have to be monitored on a regular basis and the correct medication regime will be put in place, but over all a full recovery for him is expected, he is young and has that on his side.'

'What else doctor?'

'I'm sorry.'

'Spill doc I'm too tired to play twenty questions.'

'I – I don't know what happened to you boys or why ... Sam's physical health has been compromised but ... he has sustained damage from repeated sexual abuse, as I said his internal injuries have been repaired but it may not be his body that ...'

'You think that he may never recover in his head?'

'Time will tell Dean, but for now, the pair of you have beaten all of the odds, someone is definitely watching over you.'

'Thanks Doc.' Dean whispered as his exhaustion took control and he fell into a deep dreamless sleep. After the doctor finished noting medications on the brothers' charts and double-checked his patients, he left with Heather close by heading off to gather the different medications they need.

Sam's eyes opened and tears fell freely as he watched Dean sleep, he heard everything that the doctor told Dean about both of them. He raked his gaze over Dean taking in the bulky cast, the bandages and mottled bruising, until it was too much and he squeezed his eyes shut trying to block out the pain in his body and in his mind.

Somehow, Samuel managed to pass his heart problems to Sam and it terrified him. the pain in his chest took his breath away unable to calm down Sam heard the alarms go off on his monitors and his last thought was of leaving Dean alone. 'No!' he screamed internally, he started fighting back through the pain and haze; he was not going to desert his brother not again. Not when he needed him now more than ever before.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed and I haven't had a chance to send a personal thanks too. (((((((((((((GROUP HUGS))))))))))))))))

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CHAPTER 26

Room 112

Memorial Hospital

Dresden Kansas

March 2006

Sam's eyes fluttered open and was immediately greeted with an empty bed across the room, panicking he tried to sit up but then he realised he was still lying on his stomach and unable to roll over.

He could feel his breathing hitch and his chest tighten again as he tried to work out what was going on and where Dean was. 'Dean?' he called out with effort, forcing his voice past his dry throat taxed him more than he wanted to admit. Dean died. The thought bounced around in his mind making Sam shudder and start to weep. Dean died while he was asleep and it wasn't fair he never got to say goodbye.

'Dean?' he called again lifting his head slightly he gazed around the room; something was off, something that Sam couldn't put his finger on. Where was Dean?

'Dead, you killed him, you and your patheticness killed him, and he died bringing you back.'

'What are you ... Samuel?' Sam blinked as he stared at his ancestor's face floating in front of him dizzily. 'Where? How?'

'Oh I can do a lot of things now Sam, how is your heart lately?'

'My, my heart?' Sam stared at him confused and then he remembered what the doctor told Dean. 'You gave me your heart disease.'

'Ah so you have worked it out, Sam all you have to do is embrace your darkside like I have and the world opens up to you.'

'What, what did Augustine do to you?'

'I can give you the gift too Sam, all you have to do is accept that part of you.'

'Never, what have you done Samuel? How could you?' Sam stuttered trying to understand what was happening, 'Dean said that you were so helpful and so...'

'That was then Sam this is now, now I have fully understood what the ring means and I intend on retrieving it and controlling the portal completely.'

'What about Dean? Your Dean?'

'He is ... safe.' Samuel shrugged elegantly, 'he understands everything now.'

'You can't do this Samuel.'

'What are you going to do Sam? Stop me?' Samuel laughed lightly, 'you can barely lift your head and your heart is ready to give out. Such a shame but what can one do?'

'This is not you Samuel.'

'Perhaps for the first time I am embracing what I am.' Samuel said thoughtfully, 'now I must bid you goodbye dear nephew your Dean is about to return.'

'Samuel.' Sam cried out but he was alone again in the room, audibly groaning he pushed himself up until he could turn over and sit up, his back muscles flared to life with scorching flames of pain spreading through him biting down on the pain Sam started to pull at the monitor patches stuck to his chest. His anger fuelling his adrenalin rush he managed to push his legs over the edge of the bed and haul himself up until he was sitting unaided. Swallowing hard Sam knew that the next step was to stand without keeling over he stared at Dean's empty bed and drew strength from the need to find his older brother even if he was in the morgue. Tentatively he put one foot on the floor and then the other one the sharp pins and needles took his breath away but he pushed the sensations down and held the bed frame with a death grip until he felt steady enough to let go. Exhausted part of him wanted to lie down and sleep but Sam stubbornly refused to listen to his own body instead he took a halting step he could hear running towards his room and he turned his head to look at the monitors flashing, the nurses were on their way. Determinedly he took another step towards Dean's bed, his thoughts drifted to his brother and then back to making it to his deemed destination. First the bed and then the door.

Shaking he reached out to place a hand on the bed frame to steady himself when his legs gave way and he couldn't stop himself tumbling forward, the floor rushing to meet his face. 'Dean?' he cried out as he landed striking his forehead on the leg of the bed his breath knocked out of him with the contact with the cold vinyl flooring.

'Sam are you alright?' Heather puffed as she reached the door and pushed it open her eyes fixed on the bed furtherest away from her. 'Sam?' blinking she stared at the bed trying to understand why it was empty. After coding the previous day Sam was yet to regain consciousness and now his bed was empty.

Her gaze flickered around the room searching for a clue to what happened when she saw the bare feet on the floor, moving stiffly she stepped closer her gaze travelling along the feet and the long legs to where Sam was sprawled on the floor between the two beds. Dried blood covered his forehead and pooled under his cheek, one hand remained outstretched as though he was holding his hand out to someone when he fell. Pressing the call button Heather knelt down next to Sam and checked to see if he was still breathing.

'What happened to my brother?' Dean's voice broke through Heather's shock and she stared up at the angry look on the young man's face. 'What are you doing?'

'I – I don't know, his monitor alarms went off and when I got here ... Sam was already lying on the floor.'

'I don't understand they said he was still unconscious when they took me for scans.' Dean mused, 'Sammy?'

The nurse pushing Dean's wheelchair came around to help Heather roll Sam over as two male nurses and an orderly came running in response to the call. Easily they lifted Sam back onto his bed and Heather was able to reattach his patches before checking the cut on his forehead. 'It's only a surface cut.' She sighed relieved, 'Sam hey you coming back to me?'

Sam blinked and stared up at Heather he was on his back and in his bed once again, ignoring the young woman he turned his gaze to the bed opposite him his face falling when he saw it still empty. 'Dean?'

'Dude what the freaking hell do you think you were doing?' Dean groused at him from the other side of Heather. Confused Sam looked up at the nurse and then tried to see where his brother's voice came from. 'Damn it let me.' Dean snapped and then he was there next to Sam's bed.

'Dean? Where? You were gone...' Sam stumbled over his words as he took in Dean's appearance, 'he said you were dead.'

'Who Sam?' Dean frowned at the clear confusion and pain written across Sam's face and the cloudiness of his eyes, 'who said I was dead?'

'Samuel.' Sam whispered brokenly, 'he wants me to go darkside with him.'

'Sam, Sam listen to me that thing is not Samuel now and he can't hurt you anymore.'

'Dean no...he was right.' Sam protested feeling the tears start to well behind his eyes. He could feel the tightness in his chest and his breathing hitch, 'no not now.' He moaned.

'Sam I need you to calm down.' Heather said as she finished replacing his IV port and rebandaged his forearm keeping the needle firmly in place.

'Dean?' Sam gasped his hand flailing for his brother's, desperately needing to feel Dean's solid touch.

'I'm right here Sam but you have to calm down okay, just take a few deep breathes and calm down.' Dean didn't take his eyes from Sam's, keeping that eye contact strong as his brother fought his way back. Finally, the beeping quietened and went into its regular beep.

'Dean where were you?' Sam gasped pushing Heather's hand away from his face where she fitted his nasal cannula.

'They wanted me to get stupid scans on my leg or something.' Dean grumbled pouting slightly, 'I didn't want to leave you but they said that you were still unconscious.'

'When I woke up and you were gone ... then Samuel came and he said that you had died.'

'What the fu...freaking hell was Samuel doing here?'

'He wants me to ...' Sam stopped when he saw Heather standing there, 'nothing.'

'Is this Samuel? Is he one of the ones that hurt you guys?' She asked without hesitation.

'No, no not really.' Sam said trying to brush it off, 'he ah got mixed up in it that's all.'

'Sam now that you're conscious I am going to have to call Doctor Fin and let him know,' Heather said, 'and after your little attempt at getting out of bed...' she let her words hang in the air as she left the room.

'Dean ... Samuel has gone full on darkside, he wants me to join with him ... he wants the ring and total control of the portal.'

'What about his Dean?'

'All he said was that Dean was safe, it wasn't Samuel like you knew him Dean. This, this demon Augustine he's seriously ...' Sam shook his head slowly, 'man we can't stay here.'

'Sam with ... you can't leave the hospital dude your heart could give way at anytime and fuck Sam look at me.' Dean snapped angrily, his frustration spilling over.

Sam's gaze drifted over the large full leg cast, the various white bandages covering wounds that he could only imagine, 'I'm sorry Dean.' he mumbled turning his face away from Dean.

'Hey Sammy, uhhuh you are not going to do that.'

'Do what?'

'Wallow in your self-imposed guilt.' Dean snapped wearily rubbing at his face, 'damn it Sammy look at me.'

Sam turned back to look at Dean and then dropped his gaze again, 'Samuel has changed so much Dean; he's not possessed he said that he finally embraced his darkside.'

'Sam...'

'He's our ancestor Dean ... what if ... what if it is a gene or something like that, something that gets carried down our family?'

'Aint like that Sammy.'

'Why? I mean Dean how do we know; do we know anything about the Winchester family?' Sam asked, 'when you think about it Dad never really mentioned any family and I know that after Mom died he cut off from her side, we only knew that one uncle or something when we were kids.' He took a deep breath and winced as it pulled on his aching chest, 'we never met our grandparents or any cousins no one Dean.'

'So? That means there is nothing to know about.' Dean countered but Sam could hear the doubt in his voice.

'Well Sam I hear you tried to do some walking today.' Doctor Fin said as he strode into the room smiling brightly at his two patients and closely followed by the ever present Heather, 'and Dean still out of bed?'

'Hey Doc.' The brothers said in unison.

'So Dean I think it's time for you to get out of that chair and back into that bed.' Doctor Fin said without preamble, 'Heather could you help Dean while I check out Sam please?'

'Dean?' Sam whispered turning his attention back to his brother, 'I'm ...'

'Yeah I know Sammy.' Dean replied as Heather wheeled him back to his bed when she went to pull the curtain around his bed Dean leaned over and grabbed her wrist, 'not all the way please.' He said nodding to the panicked look on Sam's face. Heather smiled and only drew the curtain enough to give him some privacy from the doorway.

Michael Fin silently listened to Sam's breathing and his heartbeat before he made a small humming noise and went to take his blood pressure a frown forming on his face as he read the screen.

A coughing fit coming from the other bed made him stop and turn casting a glance over at Dean, the antibiotics should be really kicking in by now, 'Doc what is it?' Sam whispered breathlessly, 'something wrong with Dean?'

'No, no Sam it's alright I could hear Dean coughing that's all,' Michael turned and gave Sam a small smile, 'now you have to keep calm I mean it Sam if not then I am going to be forced into sedating you.'

'Sedation why?'

'Your blood pressure is rising steadily and that coupled with your ... I need you to stay calm, no more getting out of bed, no more talking to anyone except, me, Heather and Dean okay.' Michael said suddenly becoming very serious, 'if you want anything you press your call button, and I mean anything Sam.'

'Doc...'

'No, no Doc me I want you to promise me Sam.'

'Okay I'll promise.'

'You bet your freaking ass you'll promise Sammy.' Dean called from the other bed as Heather pulled the curtain back. He looked so pale that Sam let a small gasp escape and push the doctor away.

'Dean...'

'No Sammy you stay put I'm fine just tired.' Dean countered when he saw the stubbornness set in, 'I'm with the doctor on this one.'

Sam opened his mouth to argue when he dropped his head against his pillow and gave up fighting, it was simply too exhausting. Heather came over and straightened Sam's sheets, made sure that he was comfortable on his side and that his leads and IV were all free from entanglement. Once Michael was satisfied, that Sam was set he went over to his other patient's bed with a deeper frown on his face, 'now Dean it's your turn.'

'I'm fine Doc.' Dean grinned wanly then grimaced with the pain in his chest, 'just breathing in a bit of fire that's all.'

'How's the leg?'

'It's there.' Dean answered succinctly.

'So I see much pain?'

'So how's those ahhh Yankees going?' Dean smirked at the doctor.

'I take that as a yes,' Michael grinned he was fast learning the famous Winchester double talk. 'How about your chest?'

'Fine as long as I don't breath.' Dean glanced over to watch Sam sleeping soundly, 'how about Sam?'

'First we deal with you and then we talk about your brother.'

'Anyone tell you that you're stubborn Doc?'

'Yeah my wife,' Michael laughed 'every day.'

Michael finished his exam and sat down on the edge of Dean's bed balancing his clipboard on his knees, 'Dean ... we need to talk about Sam's treatment.'

'Go on.'

'Is there someone else who can take over Sam's medical decisions? You're not well yourself...'

'Can it Doc it's just me and Sam now tell me what is going on.'

'Sam's blood pressure is dangerously high, I have ordered some medication to help bring it down but he has to stay as calm as possible and limit his contact with people as a consequence, no more trying to get out of bed and lots of rest. Once we get it back to a manageable level then, then the cardiologist wants to do the surgery we discussed.'

'Sammy needs a heart op?'

'Yes his symptoms are progressively worsening; with the aided complication of the infections and the gangrene ... we are working against time to ...'

'You mean Sam could die?'

'That is the extreme Dean, we are not going to let that happen I promise you.' Michael said following Dean's gaze to the other bed, 'he is going to receive the best care we can possibly give him and we're going to make sure he pulls through.'

'Thanks Doc it means a lot.'

'My kid brother is probably about Sam's age,' Michael let slip, 'we haven't spoken for five years.'

'Sorry Doc ... Sammy and I we went through a bad patch but...'

'Maybe there's hope for me and Troy then.' Michael said standing up he patted Dean's cast and gave him a tired grin, 'buzz if you need anything, I'm sure Heather will be around somewhere.'

'Thanks again Doc.' Dean said returning his attention back to Sam's sleeping form. Tiny beads of sweat formed on Sam's face along with fine lines of pain around his eyes. Dean's gaze narrowed as he watched the twitch start and then the mumbling, either Sam was in pain or he was having another nightmare. Mindful of what the doctor had just told him, 'Damn it Sammy.' Dean grabbed his call buzzer and kept his finger on it until Heather came running in, flushed and breathing heavily.

'Dean you only have to press it once.' She scolded him gently. 'Is there something wrong?'

'Sammy.' Was all he could reply.

'Sam?' Heather called out softly when he didn't stir she moved closer and pressed a hand on his forehead, she could feel the heat radiating from him before she made contact with his skin. Worry spread across her pretty features as she took a reading of his blood pressure, pulse and temperature, scribbling the details down as she went keeping her back to Dean she checked all of Sam's monitors and then hit the emergency button alerting the staff for a possible coding.

'Heather what's happening?' Dean called out as he watched her gently roll Sam onto his back flat on the mattress discarding his pillows, 'what the fuck is going on Heather?'

'Sam's having some heart problems Dean.' Heather answered a little shorter than she intended, turning to apologise she watched horrified as Dean got himself out of bed and tried to balance on his good leg. 'Dean what do you think?'

'Dammit help me get to him Heather.' Dean demanded the shocked nurse reacted after a second and managed to get him to the seat next to Sam's bed, 'Hey Sammy, dude I need you to wake up your scaring the nice nurse.' He whispered, ignoring the staff running into the room, instead he kept talking softly to Sam. 'Come on dude wake up and talk to me.' Sam's face contorted in pain but his eyes fluttered open, cloudy and confused he gazed around searching for his brother's face.

'Sammy I'm right here dude.' Dean reached over and brushed Sam's fringe away from his face, 'hey you back with me?'

'Dean?' Sam blinked and stared at his brother, 'hey.'

'Nightmare?'

'Yeah.' Sam blinked furiously and tried to focus on the familiar face next to him, 'yeah I think it was.'

'Dude you got Heather all hot and bothered.' Dean grinned continuing to stroke Sam's forehead and hair, 'you got me a bit scared too.'

'Sorry, I – I ... it was Samuel.' Sam whispered when he shifted his gaze and looked up at the faces of Doctor Fin and staff including Heather. 'Sorry Doc.' He mumbled.

'How about I give you a check ... thanks everyone but I can take it from here.' Michael smiled to the others, 'Heather can you stay please.'

'Okay, you sure that you're alright Sam?' she asked still pale faced as she looked down at him.

'Yeah sorry guess I had a nightmare.' Sam said blushing profusely.

'Sam, you've got yourself quite a temperature there,' Michael said as he took another reading, 'and your blood pressure is still rising, I think I might give you a mild sedative just for tonight.'

'Dean?'

'No Sam I think that the Doc is right and anyway I need to sleep and I can't do that if you keep having nightmares can I?'

'No.' Sam whispered his eyes downcast.

'Sam look at me.' Dean growled softly, 'dude you are so not going to have another guilt fest, it was just a dream.'

'I'll go and write up the sedative, Heather can you get Sam comfortable?'

'Sure thing Doctor.' She smiled, 'I'll be right back, I just want to get some fresh slips for the pillows, they've been on the floor.'

While they were alone Sam turned his face away from Dean not wanting him to see his obvious distress. 'What did you dream Sammy?' Dean asked without preamble.

'Nothing, it's okay Dean.'

'Sammy!'

'I was back in the asylum and ... and it was this Augustine and Samuel instead of the guards ...'

'Ah damn Sammy, I am so sorry.' Dean sighed sadly, 'I couldn't protect you from that.'

'What did I do Dean? What did I do that was so bad that I had to be punished like that?' Sam whispered his fingers twisting in the sheets.

'Sammy you didn't do a thing, you had no control over what happened it was that screwed up demon Augustine who stuffed us ... stuffed you around.' Dean said forcefully, he put his hand on Sam's opposite cheek and made him turn back to look at him, 'Sam I mean it you did nothing, they were animals who didn't know any better.'

'Dean I ...'

'Sam when you get better and we get sprung from here we are so going to burn and salt that bitch I promise you.'

'You are going to what?' Heather gasped standing in the doorway after listening to their conversation, 'and what do you mean demon?'

'Heather you know you shouldn't sneak up on two guys talking.' Dean chided her but his mirth did not reach his eyes. Heather opened her mouth to argue when she saw the murderous glint in Dean's eyes and the protective way he positioned himself on the chair covering Sam completely. 'And don't ask questions that you don't want answers to.'

'Dean I ...' Heather blinked back her tears of anger and confusion and strode over to Sam's bed, 'I have to fix Sam's bed up.' She said without looking at either brother she did what she had to do silently, made sure that Sam was comfortable on his side again, took his ops and then left without making another sound.

'Dean that was harsh.' Sam said softly.

'No, that was nosey and you know what they say about curiosity.' Dean grumbled, 'for her own good Sammy.'

'Yeah I know.'

'Hey now you stay nice and calm for me please no more angst about anything okay.'

'Kay.' Sam nodded sleepily.

Heather coughed this time, came in with the loaded syringe, and quickly administered the sedative into Sam's IV port. 'Now Dean let's get you back to bed.' Heather said her face fixed in a neutral mask. She was not going to give him anything as she helped him hobble back to the bed and after she settled him down she glanced over at Sam and then back to Dean a small smile on her face, 'Sam is lucky to have you as a brother Dean.' she said softly before leaving the boys to rest.

'Dean it is time you and I talk.' A familiar voice came from near the end of the bed. Blinking until he could focus properly Dean stared at Samuel in shock.

'What the fuck?'

'Sh Dean now we don't want young Sam over there to wake and get all upset again would we?'

'What do you want Samuel?'

'Just to talk.'

'Then what? How could you turn on Sammy, he even saved your life?' Dean couldn't help but start on questioning Samuel's motives.

'And for that I am eternally grateful but as I told your brother there is so much more to life if you embrace the gifts offered to you.' Samuel smiled. 'However I do need young Samuel back in my time for a short time.'

'You keep your freaking hands off him,' Dean snarled, 'haven't you done enough?'

'Oh I will wait until his heart has been repaired,' Samuel smiled coldly; 'I need him healthy.'

'It was your fucking disease to begin with.'

'Yes but Sam was so much younger and stronger than me, I know now that in this time he would survive where in my own time I would be dead by now.'

'Something I can still arrange.' Dean said in a low toneless tone.

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

Author's Note: Sorry for such a long break between updates, no excuses really except that I am back at Uni and trying to get my head around my four new subjects and the new timetable. Promise I will be back on track very quickly...

(((((((((((((GROUP HUGS))))))))))))))))

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CHAPTER 21

**Room 112**

**Memorial Hospital**

**Dresden Kansas**

**March 2006**

Dean watched the door and waited, trapped in his bed by a cunning doctor and nurse who had put his leg in traction, all he could do was watch and wait.

They had taken Sam away early in the morning, unable to hold off on the surgery any longer they had Dean sign the forms and they whisked his semi-conscious brother away. Now it was approaching evening and no one had brought Sam back, all he knew was that Sam was in the recovery room and would be back soon. Heather was suspiciously absent during the day, only coming in to do his regular obs and then she left again.

Dean felt as though he had been placed in a sin bin or something equally stupid, his only visitor for the day aside from Heather was Doctor Fin. The doctor chatted to Dean for a while about being a big brother but then was called away on an emergency and left Dean alone again.

Frustrated and itching like mad under his cast, Dean had had enough and pressed his nurse call button determinably pressing it in short sharp blasts knowing that it would annoy the crap out of Heather.

'Dean!' Heather gasped out her breath coming in short pants as she ran into the room, 'what's wrong?'

'I'm itching, I'm pissed, I'm bored and I want to know about what's happening with Sam.' Dean declared, 'so Heather how are you?'

'Oh Dean.' Heather shook her head and turned the buzzer off, 'I am sorry.'

'Sorry about what? What happened? Sam ... please don't tell me...'

'No, no Sam is on his way down from recovery the surgery went fine,' Heather quickly reassured Dean mentally kicking herself for her choice of words, 'no I am sorry for having to put your leg in traction and keeping you prisoner in your bed that's all.'

Dean visibly relaxed when he heard the words Sam is on his way down, the rest sounded like white noise in the background, wincing he gripped his chest as another coughing fit forced its way out. Heather helped Dean sit forward and propped more pillows behind him, he gave her a wan smile in thanks as the new position took the pressure off his chest. 'Better.' He croaked out as Heather slipped an oxygen mask over his face, the relief was immediate and she watched him visibly relax.

'You keep that on Dean I'll be back in a few minutes.' Heather tried to be detached but the two brothers had become more than just patients to her, and now she protected them fiercely not letting anyone else look after them while she was working and even when she went home Heather handpicked the nurse to take over until she came back.

Dean closed his eyes and concentrated on breathing normally, the new position helped and he finally felt the pressure lift completely.

'Dean?' Heather spoke softly and touched his shoulder, 'hey how you doing?'

Dean blinked and looked up at the face of his nurse, 'I ah fell asleep?'

'You sure did and missed the return of one brother.' Heather smiled and moved aside allowing Dean a clear view of Sam.

'Sam?' Dean whispered taking in the bandages, the extra lines coming from his brother and the drainage bag slowly filling with a pinkish fluid blinking furiously he pulled his gaze away and back to his brother's face. 'Sam?'

'He's going to be fine Dean; the doctor's will be in soon to talk to the two of you but he's out of danger Dean.'

'He's alright?'

'Yeah, he's sleeping Dean that's all, he had a little trouble coming out of the anaesthetic and that's why it took a little longer to bring him down from recovery.'

'But he's going to be?'

'He's going to be fine Dean, honestly.' Heather smiled and brushed her fingers down Dean's face, 'both of you are going to be alright.'

'Thanks.' Dean said not trusting himself to say anything else, his emotions had crept up to float just under his skin, and if he said anything else, he may not be able to hold them back.

'Get some sleep Dean; the both of you need sleep.' Heather said as she gathered both of their charts and then left pulling the door shut behind her.

Dean fidgeted slightly and then as comfortable as he could be he watched Sam until his eyes fluttered closed and sleep finally claimed him. A small frown appeared on Dean's face a while later as a nightmare assailed him, images of Sam in a coffin filled his mind, replaying it repeatedly, then it shifted and he saw himself watching Sam's coffin getting lowered into the ground, then he heard the sounds of scratching and cries of help coming from the casket they were burying Sam alive. Invisible hands held him back as the ground filled in smothering Sam's cries of help.

Dean sat up gasping for air and tears falling down his face, desperately he clawed at the oxygen mask pulling it away from his face and then he yanked his casted leg out of the traction sling and let it drop on the floor cracking the thick plaster. Painfully he made his way to Sam's side and dropped onto the chair gratefully before he reached out to touch Sam's cheek with one hand while the other firmly clasped Sam's long fingers. 'Damn it Sam this is too much, I don't know...' Dean started sobbing as he clung to Sam, all of his pent up emotions and fears erupted in the form of harsh rasping sobs. He remembered his birthday it feels so long ago even though it was barely eight weeks, when Sam teased him mercilessly about it. To Sam disappearing and Samuel replacing him, everything from the past and what happened in the present it all came crashing down around him and he sobbed until exhaustion relaced the now dry sobs. He slumped forward resting his thumping head on Sam's hand and tried to catch his breath. Sam was back and he was going to be okay, the thought wove its way into his mind as he finally fell into a dreamless sleep.

-------------------------------------

'**Chambre de la Mort'**

**Winchester's House**

**Dresden, Kansas**

**March 1878**

Dean lifted his aching head and stared at his brother in horror, 'Samuel please dear one talk to me.'

'Since when do you talk about anything dear brother?' Samuel asked placing a hard kick to Dean's side. 'How things have changed, now you know how it feels to be the victim.'

'Samuel, you are my brother, my life, this is that monster controlling you.' Dean cried out as he bit down on the pain in his side.

'For the first time in my life I feel alive Dean.' Samuel declared a maniacal glint in his eyes made them so dark they looked black instead of their normal green. 'Augustine has given me my life back and he can do the same for you to Dean.'

'Thanks dear one but I like my life the way it is.'

'Think about it Dean, we can travel between times, to the future whenever we want to. Think of the fame and success we could have with knowledge of things to come.'

'No Samuel, listen to me if you do that then everything will change and maybe the future Dean and Sammy will never be born.'

'And your point is?'

'Think about it Samuel, if you change our present with future knowledge then you change the future.' Dean pushed himself up against the wall, holding his stomach tightly he used the wall to help him to stand up. 'You have already changed the future Samuel by giving Sam your disease.'

'That saved my life Dean would you have rathered that I die?'

'No, no never as I said you are my life Samuel if you die then I die but we cannot destroy the lives of those two boys.'

'You did not think of that when you sent young Sam to that asylum did you Dean? You kept him there even when you knew what they did to him there. You hunted him down and tried to send him back.' Samuel snarled angrily punctuating each accusation with a finger pushing it into Dean's already painful chest. 'You hunted him like an animal.'

'I was under the influence of Augustine Samuel, that damned ring and cane head. Samuel I am begging you do not follow the same path I fear that if you do I will not be able to save you.'

'Save me from what Dean?'

'From yourself and from Augustine, he is a demon Samuel. He is what we hunt and kill.'

'He has granted me freedom Dean, he saved my life.'

'How by taking the life of a boy instead?'

'It is not like that Dean; in Sam's time they have the medicines to save his life.' Samuel said earnestly, pacing and scrubbing at his face with his knuckles he started muttering to himself as his descent into madness built speed. 'We can save so many lives Dean; we can bring those medicines back to our time. The technology I saw with the other Dean, my God what we could accomplish.'

'Samuel listen to yourself, we cannot possibly do what you are suggesting. We cannot change what is yet to happen just as much as we cannot change what has already been done.' Dean limped to his brother and gripped his shoulders tightly preventing Samuel from continuing to pace. 'Samuel I need you to give me the ring.'

'I cannot do that Dean; I need to find out how Sam is going.' Samuel said with a mysterious grin, 'I need you to stay here until I get back.'

'Samuel, Dear Heart, I want you to give me that ring now.' Dean said as forcefully as he could.

'No Dean, forgive me My Brother.' Samuel said gripping Dean's fingers he started to squeeze forcing Dean to step backwards, 'I will be back soon.' He whispered pressing the ring against Dean's heart. Samuel watched with detached interest as his brother fought to stay conscious until his strength abandoned him and he collapsed into Samuel's arms. Lovingly Samuel eased his brother down onto the long chaise and covered him with a blanket. 'Forgive me Brother.' He whispered before disappearing upstairs.

An insane sounding giggle permeated through the sudden silence, Jonas stepped out of the shadows and went to stand next to Dean. Staring down at the unconscious man Jonas giggled even harder as his form became solid once again. 'Oh dear Master Dean you need me don't you.' Jonas sighed sitting on the edge of the chaise he tugged the blanket away and stared at the body lying so still. Then he started to stroke Dean's leg, 'oh my dear son what has happened to you.' He gasped when he saw the bruises hiding beneath Dean's shirt and waistcoat, curiously he pushed the clothing up and ran a finger over the multitude of mottled bruises, on his side were two black spongy bruises that made Jonas hiss in anger.

'No one touches my boys.' He growled, 'who did this?'

'What?' Dean moaned as he started to thrash about, 'no Samuel ... don't Samuel!'

'Dean?' Jonas frowned, 'this should not be happening.'

'Jonas?' Dean blinked and tried to focus on his old friend's face, there was something so different about him, 'I – I thought you had died.'

'In a way Dean my boy, what happened to you?'

'Samuel.' Dean whispered his face burning red with his humiliation. 'it is nothing more than I deserve after what I had done to him and young Sam.'

'Dean where is your brother?'

'He, he returned to the future, Jonas he is no longer our Samuel. Augustine has bewitched him he is so violent and so ... I am truly afraid of him.'

-----------------------

**Room 112**

**Memorial Hospital**

**Dresden Kansas**

**May 2006**

Sam watched with sleepy interest as they brought Dean back to their room castless, finally removing the cumbersome plaster and replaced it with a soft boot brace a grin a mile wide on his face and a beaming Heather in tow.

'Wow Dean you look ... happy.' Sam said trying not to yawn, 'looks good on you.'

'Thanks dude, feels so freaking good to be outta that cast.' Dean grinned and then turned to give Heather a wink, 'of course I couldna done it without the help of one extremely gorgeous nurse.'

'Dean!' Heather chided him gently placing a hand on his shoulder, 'tell Sam the rest of the good news.'

'Finally getting sprung from here dude.' Dean grinned.

'Ah that's great Dean.' Sam said with a small smile knowing that he himself had to stay longer.

'Sammy look at me.' Dean said recognising the signs of Sam's ever present depression, 'dude I'm looking for somewhere near the hospital for us, they said that you can leave at the end of the week providing the last round of tests come back clear.'

'That's days away Dean.' Sam whispered miserably.

'Sammy, please Sammy look at me I can't take you with me until I have somewhere safe for you.' Dean said all of his teasing and smiling gone as he regarded his brother's pale face. Sam had suffered so many setbacks during his recovery, that Dean felt like he lived on eggshells, the antibiotic creams, dosages through the IV did little to abate the gangrene, and the infection looked at one stage to be spreading to the surgical wound. Landing Sam in an induced coma for a week in ICU, now he fought to stay in the room he shared with Dean and often neglected to let the nurses know if he was in pain or feeling worse. The pain often waking him during the night drenched in sweat and a feverish tinge to his skin.

'I – I really am happy for you Dean.' Sam whispered swallowing his own pity-fest and concentrated on Dean, knowing that even though Sam himself hated hospitals Dean loathed them. Especially after the accident that nearly claimed Dean's life and did claim their father's in return.

'Just a few more days and then we can bust you outta here too.' Dean said smiling but the smile failed to reach his eyes as he watched Sam fall asleep, worry tugged at his consciousness, what if something happened to Sam while he was gone.

'Heather can we talk?' Dean asked turning to his nurse who had stood quietly listening to the conversation, her heart heavy for both of them but even more so for Sam, he was still so sick and so weak.

'Sure Dean, how about we get you back into bed while we talk?'

Dean sighed and sank back against his pillows, the energy of his first therapy session earlier in the day was gone, he ached from head to toe and was happy just to lie back in the bed. 'Heather, I need to stay with Sam ... I – I can't leave him not while he's like this.'

'Dean Doctor Fin has given you the all-clear.' Heather said glancing over at Sam and then back at Dean she perched herself on the edge of his bed and took his hand in her own. 'I'll see what I can do.'

'It's just, Sam tends to get all depressed when he's left to his own devices and he's not well.' Dean said trying to make his voice sound light but he failed miserably, 'I'm worried about him, he's not recovering like he should be ... but we need somewhere to live when we do get booted out.'

'Dean I ah was going to bring this up before but...' Heather took a deep breath and looked into Dean's eyes, 'my mom owns a few properties here mainly through an inheritance she has a small house not far from here. It is very small but has two bedrooms, an open-plan living room and kitchen and a combined laundry and bathroom. But it is clean and close enough for you guys to come in for therapy sessions easily.'

'Sounds great Heather, but we can't afford ...'

'No, no it's fine I have already talked to my mom about it, she's just happy having someone staying in there. A couple of months ago some kids broke in and trashed it, it has taken all of this time just to get it all fixed up so having two guys living there will make life a lot easier for her.'

'I – I don't know what to say Heather.'

'Just say yes, it will be all fixed up for the two of you when you get discharged together.'

'Thanks I ah mean it.'

'Okay well I had better get going and find Doctor Fin before he signs you out.' Heather said reluctantly letting go of Dean's hand.

'Heather?' Dean gripped her wrist and tugged her down close enough for him to give her a chaste kiss on her cheek, 'thanks.'

'That was so sweet Dean.' A familiar voice mocked him as the door whooshed closed behind Heather, 'even brought a tear to my eye.'

'What do you want Samuel?'

'Just thought I would pop in so to speak and see how Sam is doing.' Samuel grinned stepping out of the shadows he stood between the two beds, 'I thought that he would be a lot better by now.'

'Yeah well, that spell in the asylum and the beatings you know the ones he received on your behalf caused gangrene, the infection isn't going away or getting any better.'

'What, what are they doing for him?'

'Whatever they can, what you actually remembering that you have a conscious Samuel?' Dean asked bitterly, 'to think that I trusted you.'

'There are things that you just don't understand Dean, but ...'

'but what?'

'I never wanted to see Sam suffer so much.' Samuel hung his head low and twisted the ring around his finger, 'I have always felt so weak, my entire life I was treated like a – a sick puppy. Too fragile to do anything even to survive, actually I don't think that I would have survived my childhood if it wasn't for my brother.' Samuel took a deep breath and lifted his head to look at Sam, 'he looks so much like I did when I was his age, so sick and vulnerable.'

'Samuel what happened?' Dean asked softly, 'this is not you.'

'Can you not feel the power Dean; it is so strong I can taste it at times.' Samuel turned to Dean a strange look on his face, 'don't tell me that you were not tempted when you received the ring.'

'I was tempted but that was it Samuel, I could never intentionally hurt _my_ brother.'

Samuel moved closer to Dean's bed absently twisting the ring once again, 'I – I do not want to hurt my Dean or you and Sammy.'

'Sam.' Dean corrected him without thinking about it.

'He is young and will come out of this fine.' Samuel said unable to meet Dean's steely stare.

'They raped him Samuel, repeatedly, the beat him with whips and God only knows what else, he was forced to lie naked in filth, and forced to endure ice baths and experimental treatments all for you and you think that he will come through this fine.' Dean rasped out mindful not to wake Sam up. 'And then, to top it all off you somehow manage to transfer your heart condition to him, when he was already so ill and you think that he will come out of this fine?'

'Dean I ...'

'No Samuel it's time that you heard some home truths.' Dean said moving quickly he grabbed hold of Samuel's wrist and yanked him off balance, and then before Samuel could right himself he yanked the ring off. Samuel cried out in pain and shock as the ring's affect on him disappeared.

'No more Samuel time to start accepting responsibility for what you have done and what has been done to others for you.' Dean snarled, 'where's the portal?'

'The bathrooms have some of the tiles that is why you were put in here your ensuite has them.' Samuel explained as the tears ran down his face, 'what have I done?'

'Go home Samuel and try to patch things up with your Dean.'

'What about the ring?'

'The ring aint gonna hurt anyone again.' Dean said decisively pushing himself out of bed Dean dropped the ring on the floor and then picked up one of his wooden crutches. Samuel cried out in shock and in pain as Dean slammed the crutch down onto the ring smashing the jewel with the force of it.

'What have you done Dean?' Samuel gasped dropping to his knees he tried to gather the fragments and slivers of the green jewel, though most of it was pulverised.

TBC


	28. Chapter 28

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed and I haven't had a chance to send a personal thanks too. (((((((((((((GROUP HUGS))))))))))))))))

* * *

CHAPTER 28

Room 112

Memorial Hospital

Dresden Kansas

May 2006

_Sam watched feeling detached and yet almost perversely connected to the pathetic body shivering and pressing against the damp wall, desperately trying to protect himself from the cold but also from the rats that co-habited the cell with him. Their sharp teeth tearing into his exposed flesh. _

_He could see the sweat beaded across the forehead as the fever raged through the fail body, it wouldn't be much longer, and no one will be able save him, including Dean. the scene shifted and Sam felt the pull, desperately he tried to fight it but he felt himself sucked into the scene reliving each and every painful detail. _

_After his last humiliating experience at the hands of the two sentinels, they left Sam alone, no food, drink, or care of any kind. Not even a visit from Doctor Cross, Sam was completely and utterly without help or hope._

_Laughter bubbled from his lips as he scratched his nails into the soft crumbling stone wall, marking off another day, week, or hour he was not sure now; his sense of time passing had left a long time ago, now he only existed. He stopped begging for his brother, he stopped speaking. Sam screamed silently this was not happening, not again, he could feel the pain and heat radiating throughout his body, he could smell the stench of his own filth and there was nothing that he could do except watch from the inside looking out._

_The door swung open startling the young man and he pushed his long naked body harder against the wall, pulling on his restraints painfully cutting into the scarred skin of his emaciated wrists. His long shoulder length unkempt hair fell over his face hiding him from the invader, his body trembling as he anticipated the worst._

_'Oh whatsa matta future boy?' a cruel voice taunted him, 'whatsa matta huh? Lost ya tongue has ya?' a large hand gripped his thick long hair and pulled back viciously exposing Sam's face. 'Ah there's ya are.'_

_'Got sumfin new for ya boy,' Elias grinned, 'Doc wants ya to be tidied up and brought to 'im.'_

_'D-d-d-doctor C-C-Cross?' Sam stammered softly._

_'N-n-n-no,' Elias taunted Sam, 'no Doc Graves got sum new visitors for ya. He reckons ya'll need ta learn more ... now 'ow did he says it? Oh ya he says that ya'll need ta learn more 'umility.'_

_'Hu-hu-humility?' Sam blinked up at the man confused._

_'Get up boy,' Elias snarled pulling on Sam's hair until the younger man stood hunched over as the chains restricted his full height became taut and unforgiving. 'Doc said ta gives ya a good cleanin',' _

_Sam shrank back from Elias as the realisation hit him, 'n-n-no pl-pl-please.'_

_'Oh future boy got his tongue back 'as he?' Elias laughed unlocking Sam's cuffs from the length of chain he pushed the hapless young man face first against the wall crushing his cheek into the stone. 'Don't move.' Came the snarled warning in Sam's ear, he could smell the rancid breath of his tormentor as it filled the small area between his face and the wall. Knowing what was to come Sam closed his eyes and let himself float, aware of the abuse he so desperately tried to forget Sam let go of the consciousness holding him trapped in the memory but an invading hand pulled Sam back violently into his body. Slammed against the wall with each vicious thrust, each one more forceful than the last until a scream escaped from his throat. Rising and bubbling pushing its way passed his clenched teeth and locked jaw. Strangled and hoarse it forced its way through until it reverberated throughout the small cell._

_A hand gripped his forced erection, squeezing and twisting until Sam cried out again, his cheeks flushed with the humiliation and slick with his tears slid against the already damp stone wall leaving track marks on his skin._

_As quickly as the assault started it ended in a shuddering climax for his assailant, Sam felt himself start to topple sideways, but the groping hands stopped his descent, instead he found himself spun around and pushed back against the wall so he faced Elias. A blinding slap snapped his head backwards and he instantly dropped his gaze, realising the mistake he made when he looked into the guard's eyes. _

_'When will ya learn future boy?' Elias growled, 'no one's comin' for ya, no one wants ya ceptin' me an' I's gonna make sure that I's got ya for a helluva long time.' Brutally he crushed his mouth against Sam's forcing his tongue into his mouth until the boy started to gag, then he moved down his body, long slobbering kisses down the heaving bony chest until he laved Sam's navel with his tongue. Delighting in the tiny futile waves of rebellion still coursing through his young victim. 'Ya'll taste so's good, boy.' He murmured as he knelt in front of Sam and wrapped his hands around Sam's hips holding him steady while he took Sam in his mouth._

_A hoarse cry escaped from Sam as he strained and tried to push the man away; clenching his fists tight, he swung his manacled hands connecting with Elias' head forcing the man to lose his balance. His teeth grazed Sam's swollen and hard penis leaving thin tracks of red along the length. With a roar of fury at the audacity of his victim, Elias moved with blinding speed and pinned Sam beneath him in one fluid movement._

_Squirming under the man's weight Sam continued to fight, arching his back he tried to buck him off and then bending his long legs he pushed upwards with the last remnants of his strength, gasping as his wasted muscles and tendons started to rip and burn._

_Frantically trying to catch his breath Sam rolled away and managed to get to his feet, swaying he lurched towards the open door and the fragment of hope that lay beyond it, freedom._

_'Not so fast boy,' two large hands grabbed him as Sam tried to break free, slamming his head against the heavy door and then easily threw him back into the room. Crashing against the wall Sam lay where he fell, his breath wheezing through his damaged lungs, and broken ribs threatened to tear him apart._

_Elias stood shaking his head groggily he stared at the intruder, 'lil bastards been foxin' us.' He spat out lurching over to Sam he crouched down in front of him and once again twisted his fingers in Sam's long hair knotting it even more. Pulling back, he forced the nearly unconscious boy to look up at him, 'this aint ova boy, ya'll find out tha hard way ... ya aint a fox anymore.'_

Sam's body bucked again and slammed against the mattress as though someone had actually picked him up and thrown him backwards. Blood spurted from his mouth and angry red welts appeared over his face and body. It used all of Dean's strength and more to hold onto him and try to calm him down enough to wake up.

Heather came running back into the room closely followed by Doctor Fin, 'has he woken at all Dean?' the Doctor asked as he double-checked the monitors connected to Sam.

'No but, damn it Doc I think he's reliving ...' Dean stopped himself when he realised what he was about to say, 'Sam was kidnapped and, and before I found him they did these ... they raped him repeatedly and beat him. He was barely breathing when I ... that's where the gangrene probably started he was kept in a filthy, damp basement naked and chained.' Dean's voice broke and he turned his attention to Sam's writhing form, 'I still don't know everything that they did to him before ...'

'How, how many?' Doctor Fin asked his own voice cracking under the enormity of what he just heard.

'Two I think, there were more involved but the main instigators were these two men umm ex-cons I think.' Dean stopped again when an ear-splitting scream erupted from Sam, his eyes snapped open as he slammed against the mattress once again but this time he lay still, his eyes remained open but unfocused and glassy.

'Sammy?' Dean whispered watching as Sam as violent shivers consumed him, and his teeth started to chatter, it was like he was freezing to death.

_Sam felt them lift him, large hands encircled his arms one on each side of him, and he felt them drag him between them. His bare feet slid on the slippery tiles as they dragged him out of his cell, crying out he tried to close his eyes against the sudden brightness but a solid cuff on the back of his head made him open them again, not letting him have any relief at all. He tried frantically to flee the abused body but the memory had him tightly bound in the fragile mind. He screamed silently for Dean to wake him, to get him out of this sleeping hell but his voice no longer worked, trapped, long with his body caught in a web not of his own making._

_Weakly he lifted his head, saw the bathing room, and pushed back refusing to go in there. His pitiful screams fuelling the howls of other unseen and invisible inmates. The crescendo of screams, laughter, and jumbled words deafening for the two guards holding Sam. Angrily Elias clamped his hand over Sam's mouth silencing him he wrapped his free hand around Sam's chest as Bill moved to pick his legs up and easily carried him the rest of the way into the room._

_This time though, instead of placing Sam on the canvas sling for the ice bath dunking they carried him to a small cubicle at the back of the room, a lone hook suspended from the ceiling the only object in it. Terrified Sam started to struggle against the hands holding him tightly, bruising his already battered flesh, Bill dropped Sam's feet and went to help Elias, and together they effortlessly hung Sam from his manacled wrists on the hook leaving him suspended above the drain hole in the floor._

_Sam's head slumped forward, as he willed himself to leave his body, not wanting to endure anymore pain and degradation, but exhaustion overcame his desire to flee and he remained trapped in the shell of his body._

_The spray of cold water made him gasp and splutter, slitting his eyes open Sam tried to focus on the men in front of him when they hit him with the water once again. The needles of water pummelled his body unmercifully, dully he felt one of them scrubbing his skin with some sort of harsh soap and a brush and then the water again, dousing him from head to toe. Trembling and shivering Sam hung in the cubicle a long time after they finished hosing him down. His fever flared and the heat and chill fought to control his body. He lifted his head slightly when he heard footsteps coming towards him; a hand lifted his chin up making Sam blink owlishly at the new arrival, 'Dean?' _

'Sammy come on dude come back to me.' Dean wept openly now, slowly brushing Sam's hair with his fingers, something he used to do when a much younger Sam suffered from nightmares.

'Dean?' Sam whispered stiffly turning his head in the direction of Dean's voice, 'Dean where are you?'

'Right here Sammy, I'm right here.'

'I tried to hold on Dean, I really did.' Sam wept, 'I couldn't get free and they ... why send me back?'

'I don't understand Sammy, you were dreaming.'

'No, no more than a dream Dean.' Sam squeezed his eyes shut and tried to calm himself down. 'I was back there watching and then something pulled me into ... I had to go through it all again but was conscious of the fact that it ...'

'Sam?'

'I was back in my body but I knew I didn't belong there, like two Sam's occupying he same mind. Freaky I kept trying to break out but I felt ... it was kinda like getting stuck in a web the more I struggled to get free the worse it got.' The words fell from Sam's lips in a verbal form of vomiting, gushing and tripping over he tried to get out coherently what sounded like a jumble of noises in his thoughts.

'Sam while you were zoned out,' Dean started 'I watched as the injuries appeared on your body, and you were thrown all over the place. The Doc even tried to sedate you but ...'

'I was in the cells again Dean ... I felt the rape all over again.' Sam started sobbing great heaving gasps of breath and heavy tears wracked his body and stained his face.

'Sam?' Dean cried out as he watched Sam's eyes roll back leaving only the whites showing, his breathes came in laboured gulps and the gentle beep of his heart monitor turned into a loud alarm his heartbeat non-existent. 'Damn it Sam don't you die on me, not now you fight it, fuck Sam you fight back.'

Heather stayed at Dean's side while the doctor and other nurses worked on stabilising Sam, another set back, in a long line of setbacks for Sam this was the worst though. Fifteen minutes later Doctor Fin stepped away from Sam and turned to face a very anxious older brother of his patient.

'Sam's stable.' He muttered before Dean could ask.

'But?'

'I'm sorry Dean I truly am, but it seems that nothing we do ... if I didn't know better ...'

'What Doc?'

'If I didn't know any better I would lay bets on someone preventing Sam from getting well. That somehow they are controlling his recovery process, like pulling a puppet's strings.'

Dean sat there staring at the doctor with his mouth open, the realisation hitting him fair between the eyes. He broke the stone on Samuel's ring, shattered it and Samuel disappearing with the last fragments, not strong enough to cause permanent damage but could still hold him, influence him. Now, now, Augustine was manipulating Sam to get Dean back for the stone and for preventing his return to the mortal world.

'How is he holding up now Doc?' Dean finally choked out.

'I have him heavily sedated Dean for his own safety, I am almost tempted to try a medically induced coma to see if that helps but ...'

'But what?'

'If he has another of these episodes while he is in a coma ...'

'He won't be able to pull himself out?'

'Yes, it could inadvertently kill him, I just wish I knew more of what was happening to him.'

'Not following ya doc.' Dean said deliberately sounding obtuse.

'Dean there is more to all of this than what you and what Sam has told me, I am not dumb I can tell half-truths.' Fin snapped but then he saw the rawness of Dean's emotions lurking beneath the surface and showing in his eyes and gentled his tone down, 'Dean ... whatever this is I need you to tell me so I can help Sam.'

'Doc ... I really don't want to end up on the receiving end of a shrink's couch.' Dean deflected the doctor's concern the only way he knew how.

'Talk to me Dean, you'll be surprised at just how open-minded I can be.'

Dean regarded the young medic carefully; he couldn't believe that he was going to tell the doctor everything yet one more innocent life to change forever.

'What do ... Ah okay doc do you believe in the supernatural?'

* * *

'Chambre de la Mort'

Winchester's House

Dresden, Kansas

March 1878

Jonas finished dressing Dean's wounds and helped him upstairs to his bedroom, as he settled his young Master into the bed Jonas stood back and ran a hand over his face, suddenly feeling very weary.

'You boys have no idea what you are dealing with do you?' He asked Dean finally, 'tell me Dean what do you know of Augustine?'

'He, he was an ancestor.' Dean started wincing slightly as he made himself comfortable, 'he ah dabbled in the dark arts.'

'Augustine was an ancestor of yours yes but he was tainted with demon's blood, born of a human woman and a demon.'

'Jonas?'

'Augustine, the truth of the matter was a product of violence; in 100 BC demons fairly roamed the world, the humans barbaric and easily controlled with superstition and guile. There were a few back then who tried to do the right thing and fight the good fight. Yes, hunters were alive back then but not like today, then they moved with instinct and nothing else. Fighting evil influences. One particular demon decided that he wanted to create his own race, hybrids half-demon, half-human so he took it upon himself to rape as many females as possible. Of course, in such barbaric and primitive times very, few offspring survived birth and if they did, their mothers often destroyed them minutes after birth. One survived, his mother did not she died giving birth to him. his demonic father took the infant into his own realm and raised him as a demon. For centuries they ruled together, father and son both using human women to spawn their offspring.'

'We are the descendents of these demons?' Dean asked incredulously.

'As far as I can trace, on your maternal side, a great-great and so on grandmother of yours gave birth to Augustine in the year of 1610 he was taken at birth by his father they left a baby's corpse in his stead. Augustine never stood a chance at having a normal childhood. But something also went wrong in his breeding, as a teen he returned to his mother, citing that he escaped from his father and grandfather's influences and wanted to be with her. She took him in and he massacred her family leaving a younger half-brother alive, Augustine was hunted down but before he died he enchanted a green stone with his essence and consecrated it with his own blood.'

'That is the green stone in the ring and cane head?'

'Yes it was fragmented, they believed that if they kept the stone as a whole then the demon could be resurrected.'

'But fragmented then ...'

'The likelihood of his return lessens.'

'But he can still control the wearer of the ring or user of the cane?' Dean's eyes grew wider as the realisation hit him. 'When I wore that ring I felt like a different person.'

'Intoxicating isn't it.' Jonas sighed.

'More than ... how do you know all of this Jonas?'

'I was one of the hunters who killed Augustine.' Jonas admitted, 'that is how I became guardian to you and Samuel.'

'I – I don't understand.'

'The portal ... I have known about it and other things my entire life, I was born and raised to hunt and my father taught me to use the portal to track and trap the supernatural.'

'You move through time?'

'Yes, but until now it has only worked with the past.' Jonas admitted suppressing another giggle, 'I have no idea how it changed to incorporate the future.'

'What of the father and grandfather of Augustine?'

'They are the ones who manipulate ... they are seeking revenge on the hunters who killed Augustine.' Jonas said his gaze fixed on Dean's pale face. 'The Winchester family has been inadvertently involved in the hunt for longer than any of you realise.'

'Young Dean and young Sam ... they have a Jonas in their time one demonically possessed.'

'Ah it is all starting to fit together.' Jonas said nodding his head thoughtfully. 'We have to get to those two boys before it is too late. Where is your brother Samuel?'

'He has disappeared Jonas, I know not where he is or what he is doing.'

TBC


	29. Chapter 29

**Augustine's Ring**

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

---------------

Author's Note: I know that is this is a short chapter but it is rather intense and I think that I would have spoiled it if I had kept going. I should be wrapping this one up in at least two more chapters, three at the most.

* * *

**CHAPTER 29**

**St Augustine**

**Florida**

**1627**

'Mother?' a young man stood in front of the woman watching her reaction carefully, he wore a simple loose shirt and britches looking more patched than new. Tall with sandy blond hair and sparkling green eyes as soon as she saw him walk up the pathway to her home who he was.

'Augustine?' Anna Maria Menendez-Youngman gasped, 'how? You died when I gave birth to you.'

'My father took me and left a dead babe in my stead.' Augustine said softly his green eyes refusing to leave his mother's, 'he raised me believing that you had abandoned me after you birthed me.'

'I would never abandon my child Augustine I promise if had known.' Anna Maria held her arms up for him to enter her embrace. 'my son.'

'Mother.' he cried and moved into her hug holding her tight, 'I am home.'

'My son, come meet your family.' Anna Maria took his hand and wrapped her free arm around his waist led him into the large house. 'You have a new father and sisters and a brother.'

'I have a brother?' Augustine asked his eyes wide, 'and sisters?'

'Si, Samuel is almost fourteen and already standing a head and shoulders above his father; he is very smart too I think he shall do well with his studies perhaps enter the priesthood. Lucia is twelve and quite a beauty her father has already arranged a good marriage for her and little Josephina is nearly ten years ah and here she is.' Anna Maria smiled at the petite girl with jet-black hair and even blacker eyes, 'come Josephina and meet your older brother Augustine he has been returned to us.'

'Josephina?' Augustine smiled and held his arms out to the little girl.

'Who is he mama?' she asked frowning when she looked into Augustine's eyes.

'He is your older brother who I thought was dead but has been sent back to me.'

'I won't bite.' He smiled widely at his small half-sister.

'Anna Maria who is this boy?' A deep voice came from the doorway behind them turning Augustine stared up at his new father with an obvious look of mistrust and undisguised hatred.

'This is my son Augustine, the one who I thought had died at birth.'

'You were told never to mention the devil-spawn.' The man snarled.

'The Lord has seen fit to return my son to me Jacob do not call him devil-spawn.' Anna Maria said quietly but her voice commanding respect.

'I am Augustine Menendez Sir.' The younger man straightened and took a step towards him.

'I do not care who you are.' Jacob Youngman snapped, 'step away from my daughter, you may keep the boy if you wish Anna Maria but do not expect me to embrace him and his return.'

'Jacob please.' Anna Maria pleaded with her husband, 'Augustine defied his father and grandfather to return to me do not do this.'

'Enough.' The man declared, 'come Josephina it is time for you lessons.'

'Yes Papa.' Josephina said sliding a sideways glance to Augustine poking her tongue out at him before taking her father's hand and happily skipped away from the strange young man with glittering green eyes.

'I am sorry Augustine.' His mother said tears sparkling in her deep brown eyes.

'There is nothing to be sorry for Mama, now you said that I have a brother?'

'Si, si Samuel is over there practicing his sword.'

'He is pretty good.'

'Si, his father drills him all of the time, sometimes I think that he is too hard on him but I am only his Mother.' Anna Maria waved at her youngest son and beckoned to him. the tall youth with light brown hair and sea-green eyes and large dimples came running over to his beloved mother. Kissing her chastely on the cheek Samuel straightened and stared down at the new arrival.

'I am Samuel.' He said with a bright smile holding out his hand.

'Augustine.' The terse reply came but the handshake was warm and Augustine felt himself relax with the boy's presence, perhaps there is hope with this one.

'Samuel this is your older brother,' their mother introduced the brothers for the first time, 'the Lord has sent him back to me.'

'I have a brother?' Samuel exclaimed excitedly, 'I have a brother!'

The two youths greeted each other happily, 'do you want me to show you some new moves?' Augustine offered nodding towards Samuel's sword, 'I am pretty good.'

'Thank you.' Samuel blushed and hurried to find Augustine a suitable weapon to train with.

Lucia sat in the shade watching the exchange with interest a smile playing across her lips as she watched the handsome young man train with her older brother. He moved with such grace and skill that she held her breath and fanned herself with the lace fan she clutched tightly.

'He is your brother Lucia.' Anna Maria said sitting next to her eldest daughter, 'that is Augustine.'

'But didn't he die at birth?'

'Si and the Lord has graced me with his presence again.' Anna Maria beamed happily.

Lucia watched the handsome young man with renewed interest, taken at birth and raised by strangers.

'Who took him Mama?'

'His father and grandfather, they put a dead baby in his place and stole him from my breast.'

---------------------

Augustine stood over the bodies of his mother and her husband with a look of sheer malice written across his face, 'too bad you chose him mother.' he snarled his green eyes now obsidian discs, 'did you not see what he was doing to your son?'

He turned to stare at the young boy lying unconscious on the bed, the bruises stark on his pale skin. Augustine's anger knew no ends when he came hurrying into his brother's room eager to continue training and found his stepfather rutting his brother like a pig.

Then he turned on his mother, for her failure to keep Samuel safe from the human monster, 'demons are better mannered than he was.' He spat on the man, summoning the minions from his true father's domain Augustine ordered them to take his brother careful of his injuries and to take the older girl. The other brat can die for all he cared she was too much of her father.

Turning his stony gaze once again on his weakling mother and brute of a stepfather Augustine walked out of the house with two siblings leaving the bodies of others in their steads. Suddenly he stopped and had the male body removed, he wanted it known that he loved his brother. The girl would prove useful in other ways. 'Demons I understand, humans are insane.' He muttered as he walked away flicking his hand to the side igniting the house with the action.

--------------------

**Room 112**

**Memorial Hospital**

**Dresden Kansas**

**May 2006**

Dean slept uneasily, his dreams filled with old-worldly images, the other Dean and Sam merging with strangers in colonial times. Waking with a start he saw Sam lying quietly watching him.

'Hey Sammy how you doing?'

'Okay.' Sam rasped, 'throat ... hurts.'

'Want some ice chips to suck?' Dean asked scooping some of the ice onto a spoon for Sam and feeding it to him, a small smile formed as the action took him back nearly twenty years, 'ya know I used to feed you all of the time when you were a baby.'

'Yeah?' Sam sighed thankful for the cooling effects of the ice, 'thanks ... Dean.'

'How you doing Sammy?' Dean asked his smile fading as he took in the haggard look on his younger brother.

'Tired, where's?'

'Where's who?'

'Ah ... nothing.' Sam shook his head and let his head fall back on the pillows, 'thanks Dean.'

'What for?'

'Being here.' Sam yawned and settled back down in his bed, 'Dean?'

'Yeah dude?'

'You'll be here if I fall asleep?'

'Totally.'

'Dean?'

'Sammy?'

'What are we going to about Augustine?'

'Whatcha talking about?'

'Gotta ... go ... back.' Sam felt himself slipping away from Dean again, his eyes snapped open wide and filled with fear, 'no ... no ... Dean?'

'I'm right here Sammy.'

'They're pulling me back!'

'Who Sam, who's pulling you back where?'

'Why Dean? Why are they doing this to me again?'

''Who Sammy?' Dean inched forward on his seat, concern for Sam's physical and mental wellbeing filling him with dread.

'Augustine and Samuel they are together again.' Sam whispered he could feel himself fading away, 'why me?'

'I don't know but ... hey listen to me Sam ... they are not going to get to you I promise.'

'Dean? I don't want to relive it again, I can't.'

'You won't I promise we're going to find out what is going on, we're going to get to the bottom of this I promise.'

'Hey Dean?'

'Yeah Sammy?'

'I'm gonna give you more grey hairs.' Sam tried to chuckle but winced with the effort he could feel his strength waning again, 'so tired Dean, I'm just so tired.'

'Don't let him fall asleep Dean.' Jonas said stepping out of the bathroom as though he had been there all along but this time he brought someone else with him.

'What the fuck? What the freaking hell are the two of you doing here?' Dean demanded moving to stand in front of Sam, effectively blocking their view of him; he could feel Sam's hand gasping at his arm.

'Dean ... please we're not here to harm him we're here to help.'

'How?'

'We think that we have worked out a way to stop Augustine for good.' Jonas said.

'Dean ... help me.' Sam cried out his fingers digging into Dean's forearm, 'please.' Dean turned to see the horrified expression return to Sam's face as his eyes closed, his body trembled as the horrors once again assailed him.

Dean turned with furious eyes to stare at the new arrivals, 'You want to help? You want to help then help Sam, bring him back before they rape and abuse him again. You bring him back to me before they kill him.'


	30. Chapter 30

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

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CHAPTER 30

'Chambre de la Mort'

Winchester's House

Dresden, Kansas

March 1878

Sam opened his eyes and groaned audibly, he was back in the ornate bedroom of the Winchester house, lying on the large soft bed. 'Dean?' He whispered, he tried to sit up but this time it was different, this time he couldn't move his lower body. 'Dean!' He screamed terrified, not only couldn't he move his legs he couldn't feel them.

'Dean!'

'Ah dear me Sam such noise, what will the neighbours think?' Samuel said striding into the bedroom, going to the windows he pulled the heavy velvet drapes back flooding the room with sunlight.

'What is going on Samuel?' Sam ground out, 'why am I here and why can't I move?'

'Hmm let me see there was three questions in that noise you just spouted.' Samuel scolded him.

'Time has a funny way of changing Sam, especially with a little tweak here and there.' Samuel explained talking as though he was talking to a petulant child. 'What is going on? Okay I suppose you should know, if you are here Sam you cannot exist in the future, I cannot allow you to survive, my heart disease did not kill you, the beatings did not break you and kill you, now, now I have to take matters in my own hands. Oh let me see that has answered two of your questions, the third well you see that is a little trickier, that was where the tweaking of things came into play.'

'You're delusional.'

'No, I have accepted my destiny and you my dear, dear, nephew will learn to accept yours or rather your fate too. Now where was I? Oh, yes why you cannot walk. You see dear heart, when you were caught in that terrible fire at the cabin, a beam crushed you, Jonas was barely able to get you free in time the fire was that intense. Your back was broken dear heart. With a broken back now, you are confined to the bed or to the wheelchair and cannot possibly escape.'

'Why Samuel? After everything my Dean did for you, I helped save your life why?'

'All of your questions will be answered in time Sam, now my darling rest you are still very weak.'

'I want to see Dean.'

'I am afraid my darling brother is rather ... tied up at the moment.'

'Samuel please don't do this.' Sam begged, 'what happened to me in the future?'

'You are no longer in the hospital and soon Dean will be living the life he should have had without you in it.'

'I – I don't understand.'

'Once I have you here completely the time shifts will be finalised and the future you will no longer exist.' Samuel gloated, 'you are here but only as a distant relative to the future Dean. His life will change to accommodate the fact that you were never born. So your mother will not die over your crib and he will grow up with two loving parents as an only child.'

'No, no you cannot change time like that.' Sam cried out, part of him so wanted Dean to have a normal life but Sam understands enough to know that along with that change other things will snowball out of control. How many lives will be forfeit for the changes to their lives?

'Why it is already done? Well almost done the last part of the charm needs to be completed by Augustine in your former time and then Sam Winchester of the future will never be born, never cause so much pain for his family, will never cause the death of his fiancée Jessica, never be the abomination he was born to be.' Samuel parroted the words Augustine fed him, 'no instead you will be here under mine and Augustine's control.'

'No, I would rather die than be under your control.' Sam spat out, 'Dean will find me he will never forget me.'

'How can he forget someone who never existed in the first place?' Samuel asked with a Gallic shrug. 'Now perhaps I shall give you a treat, and allow you to spend some time with your uncle Dean, darling nephew.'

'Let me go Samuel.' Sam spat out trying to push himself up in the bed. Samuel just laughed and strode out of the door, 'Samuel!' Sam cried out and then flopped back against the pillows.

A few minutes later Samuel returned to the bedroom leading a bound Dean behind him, Sam gasped when he saw Dean's physical condition, 'Samuel what have you done to your brother?'

'This pathetic creature is not my brother, he is just a pawn in Augustine's plan.' Samuel sneered, 'anyway this is only a taste of what he did to me whilst he drank, actually he did worse to you Sam.'

'Only when he was under the influence of a demon.' Sam said, 'he had no control over what he did, it wasn't his fault.'

'Perhaps for you it was true, but my brother is a vicious drunkard Sam, he often used me to release his anger, afterall I was the sicker, weaker brother.'

'Samuel, I'm sorry please.' Dean wept brokenly earning himself another hard slap across his face.

'I did not give you permission to speak to me, now I will leave uncle and nephew time to get reacquainted while I go and prepare for Augustine's arrival.'

Dean staggered to Sam's side of the bed and dropped onto the chair next to it, 'I am so sorry Sam this should never have gotten so far.'

'It's not your fault Dean.' Sam whispered staring at the door Samuel disappeared through. 'Please there was nothing you could have done to stop.'

'Yes there was, I could, no I should have told you the truth a long time ago before ...'

'Before what Dean?' Sam frowned. 'Dean let me untie you please.'

Dean pushed himself up and moved to give Sam access to the knots, 'at least he didn't stop me from using my hands.' Sam muttered hotly, his anger starting to spill over as he nimbly undid the tight ropes.

'Thank you dear boy.' Dean said heaving a sigh of relief when he could move his hands and arms again. 'What did you mean? Sam what did he do to you?'

'Arranged things so that he could manipulate time, so it seems that during the fire at the cabin my back was broken.' Sam spat the words out, 'I can't move.'

'Oh Sam, I do not understand what is going on, Samuel was never like this.'

'Augustine is the reason Dean, he did something to Samuel.'

'What about breaking your back can possibly help him?' Dean mused aloud.

'Keeps me here, unable to escape, they are going to change time so that I was never born in my time and that I will die here, probably very soon.'

'Dear one I am so sorry,' Dean said sincerely, 'I do have some news though I was able to do some research into our family history a little more. Unfortunately it is not complete but due to the fact that our ancestors kept journals on a regular basis I was able to piece together a timeline.'

'Are you say that Augustine is a possible ancestor?' Sam asked 'that it could really be true?'

'Yes my boy, it seems that that little titbit of gossip is in fact true.'

'How?'

'How can we be related to demons?' Dean smiled ruefully, 'it seems that Augustine is only half demon, he did have a human mother.'

'Go on.'

'Augustine was taken from his mother at birth, a dead baby was left in his stead, he was raised as a demon's spawn, by his father and grandfather. He had no chance at a real life, he was raised evil, he returned to his mother at the age of eighteen or so, he murdered the entire family only taking his younger half-brother with him.'

'Let me guess his brother's name wouldn't be Samuel would it?' Sam asked a look of realisation spreading across his face.

'Samuel?' Dean blinked coming to the same realisation, 'could it be?'

'The original Samuel is possessing your brother, if that is the case then we have to exorcise him.' Sam said slowly, 'or ...'

'Or what Sam?'

'It could be Samuel for all we know, the original Samuel replacing your brother.'

'I – I don't know Sam, when would they have switched?'

'When Samuel was in the library messing with the rituals and books.' Sam cried out, 'damn it Dean we're not dealing with a possessed Samuel. Somehow that original Samuel has taken your brother's place.'

'Which means Samuel could be dead?'

'No, no at least I don't think so they would need him alive, to have Samuel's knowledge of your life and what has been happening since that first switch.'

'Please Sam can you forgive a stupid man for...'

'There is nothing to forgive Dean, you were under the influence of demonic forces there was nothing you could have done to stop it.'

'It still does not make my actions right Sam, I hurt you so badly and when I allowed them to take you to that dreadful place...'

'Dean please it's in the past we need to work on getting me back to my own time and that Augustine doesn't finish the ritual in the future or I will be here for good.'

'It is not too bad living here you know,' Dean said with a smile, 'but I understand it is not just the family who changes, history itself can be irrevocably changed.'

'And not for the better.'

-----------------------

Room 112

Memorial Hospital

Dresden Kansas

May 2006

Dean blinked and tried to shake the ringing from his head, slowly he picked himself up off the floor and stared around blearily. 'Sammy?' He called out immediately climbing up the bed-frame of Sam's bed. 'Sammy?'

'Dean are you alright?' Jonas asked as he slowly stood up.

'Where's Sammy?' Dean demanded staring down at his brother's empty bed.

'Dean ... the other Dean he is gone too.' Jonas said his voice filled with panic.

'Damn it not again.' Dean swore, 'not again.'

'Augustine.' Jonas said suddenly, 'Dean we have to get to that cabin you and Sam stayed in originally.'

'Why?'

'I have a feeling that is where Augustine is going to do it.'

'Do what? What the fuck are you talking about Jonas?'

'Augustine he has Sam trapped in the past, by taking the other Dean I have a feeling that he is going to close the portal and change time forever.'

'Close the? That means...'

'Your Sam will have never existed here.'

'No Sammy?' Dean paled and felt his knees buckling under him, 'no, no not going to happen.'

'Dean we have to get back to the cabin as soon as we possibly can for all of our sakes.' Jonas said the urgency in his tone breaking through Dean's panic attack.

Standing straight, Dean snapped his shoulders back and let his mask descend again, 'what are we waiting for an engraved invitation?'

'What about the hospital?'

'We get out of here now Jonas.' Dean said striding out of the room and pulling the door shut, 'we'll work that out later.'

They hurried through the hospital, with Dean so well known around the building no one took any notice of them, heading to the impala Dean unlocked the driver's side and slid in, when he realised that Jonas hadn't gotten into the car he wound the window down and stared up at the nervous looking man.

'What the fuck is wrong now Jonas? Get in the car.'

'I – I have never been in such a contraption before.' Jonas admitted, 'please forgive my stupidity.'

'Just get in Jonas you'll be fine.' Dean sighed leaning over he opened the passenger door and waited for the older man to slide in. Wide-eyed Jonas slid onto the seat and then held onto it as tightly as he could sitting upright; he stared out of the window.

Dean smirked and gunned the motor, hearing the small intake of breath from next to him he decided not peel out of there instead he drove carefully but still as fast as he possibly dared without getting pulled over.

------------------------

Cabin 9

Plains Cabin Motel

Dresden, Kansas

March 2006

Augustine shed the persona of the elderly black man and peered at his own reflection in the mirror, much better. He admired his own handsomeness, the short cut of his blondish/brown hair, the sparkling green eyes and killer smile. Oh how he missed his own face.

'Jessica I think it is time for you to drop the pretence.' He said turning to the blond young woman staring at him so wantonly at him.

'Yes Master.' She agreed and shimmered into her own true form, her silky black hair cascaded down her long back, caramel brown eyes framed with thick black lashes and the brownest of skin glowing with something more than humanness. 'Ah it is good to be back Augustine.' She smiled sweetly.

'Lucia you are more lovely than ever.' Augustine grinned at his half-sister.

'I have missed you brother.' Lucia smiled running the tip of her tongue over her red lips.

'And I you, but it is not over yet we must contact Samuel and finish the ritual then we can all rule as it was ordained.'

'What about the youth? The young one.'

'Samuel has him in the past; right where I need him.'

'What for?'

'He is special consecrated by demons of his own time, he could prove useful to us.'

'Consecrated? But won't they come looking for him?'

'No, when the ritual is complete and I have set things in motion the Samuel Winchester of this time will never have been born.'

'I know why I love you so much brother.' Lucia grinned, 'may I play with him?'

'Why would you want to do that?' Augustine growled gripping the young woman's arms crushing the tender flesh with his grip.

'I – I ... please forgive me Augustine he intrigues me and I haven't had a human pet for so long.'

'We shall see Lucia now go and prepare the room for the ritual once we start nothing can go wrong.'

Lucia sniffled and inclined her head, rubbing at her sore arms she ran to do her brother's bidding, her brother and her Master, he who recreated her.

-------------------

Two shadowed forms slipped out of the car and entered the cabin through the rear door, avoiding any contact with the occupants of the cabin opposite. Dean stood in the middle of the room and stared around, it felt so empty without Sam there he felt a sharp pain surge through him and suddenly he collapsed to the floor, gasping for air and the pain sliced him into pieces.

'Dean?' Jonas cried out horrified.

'J-Jonas please help me.' Dean stuttered as he tried to curl into a tight ball, the pain was excruciating. 'Something's wrong, something to do with Sammy.'

'Sam?'

'Damn it Jonas not now, I can't not now.' Dean ground out 'help me.'

'The portal, we must go back to Sam it's the only way.' Jonas decided dragging Dean into the bathroom; he activated the portal and half-carrying the younger man he disappeared through the portal.

---------------

Augustine roared in anger, as he felt the disruption, 'no I need that Dean here.'

'Brother what is it?' Lucia asked paling at she watched him pace the room his anger radiating from her.

'Jonas has interfered for the last time, we must return to the nineteenth century, Jonas took Dean back there, I have to have him here for the ritual to work.' Augustine snarled 'come sister we have to warn our brother.'

TBC


	31. Chapter 31

Augustine's Ring

Disclaimer: So okay I didn't do it so you can't blame me ... oh wait sorry umm yeah I don't own any of the Supernatural characters or the show and it's not my fault that the boys are temporarily MIA ... umm I didn't do it I swear!!

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed and I haven't had a chance to send a personal thanks too (((((((((((((GROUP HUGS))))))))))))))))

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CHAPTER 31

'Chambre de la Mort'

Winchester's House

Dresden, Kansas

March 1878

Dean and Jonas slowly started moving at around the same time, the trip through the portal this time was not as easy, someone tried to close it while they were in transit hoping to stop them from crossing the gateway back in time.

Moaning softly Dean rolled over onto his back and kept his eyes squeezed shut the thudding pain at the back of his eyes made it hard to accept any kind of bright light.

'Dean?' He could hear Jonas' voice from a distance but didn't want to register hearing it, gradually he moved his arms and legs testing to see if he was all in one piece and then and only then did he open his eyes slightly, focusing on the blurred face hovering above him.

'Dean?' Jonas asked again his anxiety growing, the boy shouldn't be affected like this, 'Dean lad come on say something.'

'I aint a lad.' Dean mumbled irritably. 'Sammy?'

'Not sure where he is.' Jonas admitted grudgingly, 'but he should be in one of the bedrooms if I know Samuel.'

'You think that he has hurt him don't you.' Dean asked now sitting upright and glaring at the older man.

'Yes I am afraid so.' Jonas said softly, 'he knows that if Sammy dies in this time...'

'Then he will never exist in our time.' Dean finished for him, lifting his glittering green eyes to meet Jonas' stare he pulled his shoulders back and sucked up the pain. 'Aint gonna happen Jonas.'

'Come on then lad.' Jonas quipped helping Dean to his feet they crept quietly out of the bedroom and moved on to the next one on the landing, the third door they tried was locked but Jonas easily bypassed it with a quick wink to Dean he had the door opened in seconds.

'Sammy?' Dean called out softly, the room shrouded in darkness smelt of illness. 'Sammy?'

'Dean?' A very faint but familiar voice came from the bed, while Jonas went to open the curtains Dean made his way to the bedside. His face visibly paling when he saw his brother.

'Sammy? Oh God Sammy what did he do to you?' Dean whispered trying to keep his horror out of his voice. Sam lay flat on the bed, a small thin and hard pillow under his head, his long arms stretched painfully to his sides and tied to the bedposts. A large black bruise covered the left side of his face from temple to his jaw, his naked chest scarred with blisters and burn marks. 'Sammy?'

'Hey.' Sam whispered licking his cracked and dry lips as he focused on Dean, 'I knew you would come.'

'What happened Sam?' Dean asked as he tried to undo the ropes holding Sam's arms captive.

'Samuel ... he ah took exception to my untying Dean's hands ...' Sam grunted out as a coughing fit bubbled up and out, 'Dean? How?'

'Jonas and his portal ... we have to get you back to our own time Sammy.'

'Dean ... I ... I can't.'

'What? What do you mean you can't?' Dean snapped a little harsher than he wanted and winced when he saw Sam flinch and look away. 'Sam what is it?'

'My – my legs.' Sam whispered.

'I don't ... what did he do to you Sam?'

'Broke my back.' Sam managed to get out before he started to cough again, 'so thirsty.'

'Here dear boy.' Jonas held a glass of water to Sam's lips and helped him to sip from it. 'Thank.' Sam mustered up a tired smile.

'Sammy what happened?'

'Not sure ... I woke up here ... Samuel said that he changed time and when I got caught in that fire at your cabin Jonas...' Sam stopped and looked up at the two pairs of eyes watching him carefully. 'He, he said that I was trapped under a burning beam and it broke my back.'

'The burns?'

'All from that supposed fire.' Sam said turning away from Dean as another coughing fit wracked his already overtaxed body.

'Steady Sammy, nice deep breathes.' Dean counselled his brother rubbing small circles on his chest. 'Nice and steady.'

As Sam's coughing eased, he blinked up at Dean tears shining in eyes, lifting his hand slowly he showed his older brother the blood spatters. 'Dean?'

'Shit Sammy we have to get you out of here.' Dean exclaimed, 'Jonas can we use the portal?'

'Not sure Dean, I'm sorry lad but when we came through the ... it might kill Sammy.'

'I'm dead anyway Jonas, Samuel has seen to that.' Sam said lying back against the pillow, until he felt the strain on his chest from lying to flat. 'Dean ... I can't...'

Instinctively Dean slid his arms behind Sam and helped him into a slightly more upright position, letting him rest his head against himself. 'I've got ya.' He whispered. 'Jonas we have to do something.'

'Sam what happened to the other Dean?'

'Samuel let ... him stay until he discovered that I helped ... then he took him ...'

'You two stay here I'm going to look around.' Jonas said, 'and before you protest I Dean I have been the houseman here for long than both of your ages put together I know how to get around unnoticed.'

'Be careful Jonas.' Dean said accepting Jonas' word as his worry for his brother overrode everything else.

-----------------

'Are you really able to kill your own brother Samuel?' Dean rasped, 'you are planning to murder a relative from another time and now me?'

'This is not murder for either of you Dean.' Samuel declared a strange glint in his eyes showed his descent into madness. 'They are mercy killings, both of you are too weak to continue.'

'This cannot go on dear heart, listen to yourself.' Dean said struggling against the bindings wrapped around him. 'Please Samuel listen to me, there must be some of you left, some of my baby brother.'

'Augustine is my brother.' Samuel finally admitted, the fun slowly leaving his game, 'your pathetic excuse for a sibling does not exist anymore.'

'What have you done with him?' Dean cried out in horror.

'You should be more worried about what I am going to do with you.' Samuel grinned and sashayed closer to his prisoner. 'you are at my complete mercy now Dear Heart.'

'Samuel please listen to me, he is trying to control you, fight him dear one fight him.' Dean begged, large heavy tears started to cascade down his face as he watched the coldness settle across his sibling's face.

'Dean, Dean, Dean what am I to do with you?' Samuel sighed, 'Augustine predicted that this would happen, that you would weaken yourself ... it is rather pathetic really.'

'No what is pathetic is the fact that you need to destroy someone else in order for you to even exist, what is pathetic is the fact that you have to tie me up, that you are so terrified to face me.'

'Shut up.' Samuel snarled striking Dean's face hard with his open hand, 'shut up.'

'You're becoming hysterical Samuel.'

'I said shut up.' Samuel screamed out the words spittle flying from his mouth, 'shut up.' He struck out blindly, his fists connecting with his hapless victim. 'Why can't you just do what I want Dean?' He screamed breathlessly.

Dean's head sagged towards his chest as he finally gave in to the call of the void. Samuel dropped to his knees panting, holding his head he moaned as the pain reverberated around his skull. 'No more!' the quiet voice grew louder as he weakened, blood dripped from his nose as the pressure built as his host forced him out. The temperature in the room dropped to a chill as a grey smoke expelled from the body of Samuel Winchester formed a cloud mass above the heads of the fallen brothers.

The wind picked up and a roaring sound filled the manor as the demon became bodiless once again. Jonas cried out in horror as he burst into the room, his breath coming in puffs of cold air as he braced the chill and hurried over to his former chargers. Samuel lay lifelessly at Dean's feet, his eyes open and fixed, staring up at his older brother in a frozen second at the point of death. Dean's body and face now a bloody pulp sagged against the ropes binding him tightly to the chair. Gently he lifted Dean's face and saw too the open-eyed stare of a dead man. 'Dear Lord no! Not my boys no!' Jonas wept as he sank to his knees in grief, first his daughter and now the two brothers who were more like sons to him than to their own father.

-----------------

The chilled air permeated throughout the house, Dean covered Sam with another blanket as his younger brother started to shiver violently, they heard the roaring and screaming from below but Dean refused to leave Sam's side to investigate, he was not going to lose him again.

A thick gaseous cloud filtered into the room and gathered above the bed, darkening the room and making the air colder than ever. A hissing of fury and of pain made both Dean and Sam wince and try to cover their ears. As the cloud started to form a corporeal shape Dean felt himself suddenly flying in the air backwards colliding with the tall chest of drawers and then collapsing to the floor stunned, blood running down his back from the sharp corner.

'Dean?' Sam cried out, before he too felt himself lift into the air but this time he floated upwards until he was face-to-face with the demon baring a similar face to his.

'We meet at last little nephew.' The creature's voice echoed in Sam's thoughts, 'I have longed for this day when you would be mine.'

'Never.' Sam ground out trying to push the intruder out of his mind.

'We are one in the same Samuel, dear little nephew, you are me and I am you.'

'Never.'

'Shh my darling one soon we will be together as it was foretold, the other Samuel was too old and twisted but you dearest one, you are perfect.'

'Leave me alone.' Sam screamed out in pain, his back arching and his arms flailed at his sides as he tried to keep hold of his own awareness.

'Hey Casper down here.' Dean yelled aiming an old-fashioned looking shotgun at the apparition. Taking aim Dean calmed himself as he watched Sam drop lifelessly to the bed and then fired off the shot. The silver bullet forged by the older Dean hit it's mark and the futuristic Winchester let out his held breath as he watched the demonic cloud dissipate, spreading the room with ash and the foul stench of sulphur.

'Sammy?' Dean cried out running to the bed he gently rolled Sam onto his back and checked his pulse and breathing. 'Come on Sammy time to wake up.'

'D-Dean?' Sam's eyelids fluttered as he tried to open them but he failed miserably and instead he pressed his face against his brother's hand and sighed. 'D-Dean?'

'I'm right here Sammy and Samuel's gone.' Dean said, 'he's gone.'

'Dean?' Jonas hurried into the room, a craggy weather-beaten face a few shades paler and tearstained.

'Jonas what? Samuel and Dean?' Dean felt his chest tighten as he read all he needed to know in the sorrowful look on the older man's face. 'Oh no, both of them?'

'Samuel died when the demon ... his weakened heart must have just given out, the demon was what was keeping him alive. The demon Samuel beat Dean to death.'

'Fuck.' Dean breathed and turned his attention to his own Sam. 'Jonas can we use the portal?'

'I'm not sure Dean, especially how ill and weak Sam is.'

'Augustine is still in the future Jonas, what's going to happen when he finds out about Samuel?'

'Dean?' Sam called out to his brother suddenly realising that he was no longer next to him, 'Dean?'

'Right here Sammy.' Dean said moving next to his brother's side, 'I'm right here.'

'So cold Dean, I – I don't feel...'

'Sh you just rest Sam while Jonas and me workout how to get you out of here.' Dean said brushing Sam's fringe out of his eyes, 'gonna have to get you a haircut when we get back Sammy.'

'It's Sam and I am so not having a haircut.' Sam muttered smothering a yawn, 'jerk.'

'Yeah, yeah yuck it up bitch coz ya never know when I will strike.' Dean countered.

Sam smiled softly as he fell back asleep confident in his brother's ability to protect him once again.

'Dean ... I am ... I am afraid for Sam.' Jonas admitted staring down at the youngest Winchester.

'You and me both Jonas but we don't have time to wallow we have to get him back to the twenty-first century and to proper medical care. I can't lose him Jonas.'

'You're not going to but Dean...'

'No buts, so how about we give the Winchester brothers a proper send off?' Dean said his voice rigidly calm, almost too calm barely concealing the smouldering rage building inside him.

--------------------

Sam watched from the upstairs window as Dean and Jonas built the pyres for their fallen ancestors, a cold prickle filled his chest, they should not have died like that, even though he knew that they just disappeared no one not really knowing what happened to them. It was so wrong for them to end up this way.

He stifled a sob as Jonas touched his flaming torch to the pyre and the two shrouded bodies flared into flames as the fire took hold. He knew that they were giving them a warrior's funeral and the salting and burning were protection for the older brother's in the afterlife, and whatever that may entail, but it still tore at Sam's heart and guilt complex. Sighing heavily he pulled his gaze away from the macabre sight and stared down at his numb legs, Dean had placed him in the old-fashioned wheelchair and covered him with blankets before wheeling him to the window. Pulling the blankets away Sam slammed his fist into his left thigh and wanted to scream when he felt nothing, holding his breath he repeated the process on his right thigh a frown forming on his forehead. He was sure that he felt something. Exhaling he settled himself and this time he pushed his fingernail into his skin, a small smile breaking out on his face.

_'Do you really think that pitiful little twinge is going to help you?'_ A cold voice pushed its way into his thoughts, _'I am with you Sam, and we are one now.'_

'Get out of my head.' Sam ground out, 'I am no one's meat suit. Not anymore!'

_'Who says I want you to be? No I am going to be here with you Sam and only you.'_

'Yeah right!' Sam grunted, 'you are gone, done and dusted.'

_'Am I?'_ The laugh sent shivers down Sam's spine and the tingling continued into his legs, forcing himself to calm and relax, Sam closed his eyes and searched inward, seeking the black void nestled into his consciousness.

_'What are you doing?'_ The voice questioned as it sensed Sam's internal presence.

_'Evicting you.' _

_'You do that and you will die.'_

_'If I die then I die but you will still be gone and unable to hurt anyone else.'_

_'You have brought about your own death but what of your beloved brother? What of his life?'_

_'Dean will live, no matter what.'_

_'Will he want to?'_

_'I know so, tell me what would you have done if I hadn't been physically hurt and weakened? Would you have had the audacity to do this?'_

_'I would have found a way!'_

_'Get over yourself. You are too old and too feeble to do damage. You even have to piggy back other people's lives, you are that weak.'_

_'I am stronger than you.'_

_'Are you?'_

_'I can move your dead body; I can make you walk again.'_

_'What makes you think that I want to with you controlling me?'_ Sam's inner presence started to glow brightly, filling his body with a warmth and rush of gold and silver light. _'Time to go back to your own place in time.'_ He muttered.

---------------------

Dean and Jonas re-entered the manor and headed upstairs to check on Sam and to get them back through the portal safely. 'Sammy? Hey Sammy?' Dean called out, before uttering a small gasp as he saw his brother lying on the floor, his neck crooked awkwardly to one side and his eyes wide open and unfocused. 'Sammy?'

'Dean is he?'

'No, no he's still alive, I don't know Jonas, I really don't know.' Dean sat back on his haunches and watched his brother carefully, 'it's like he's fighting inside.'

'Do you think that Samuel managed to?'

'Oh fuck.' Dean sighed, 'can you help me get him back onto the bed?'

'Sure, but Dean remember your back...'

'I'm fine Jonas; we just have to workout what's going on with Sammy.' Dean grunted as he picked up his brother's shoulders and waited for Jonas to pick up his feet.

Sam moaned but showed no signs of coming out of his catatonic state as they laid him carefully on the bed, making sure that his legs were straight and unencumbered, 'come on Sammy get out of that freaky head of yours and talk to me.' Dean begged.

-----------------

_'Time to go.' Sam pressed his glowing presence against the black stain, regaining his own mind back. Tired of being a victim and the handy punching bag Sam fought back one way only he knew how. With his mind. The black started to crackle; holes appeared with gold and silver beams shooting through them. 'No hitchhikers anymore.' He screamed forcing his light through the blackness breaking into tiny shards. _

His body arched and a low guttural scream erupted from Sam's mouth then he slumped back on the bed. 'Dean I'm sorry.' Sam mumbled tears leaking from his eyes, 'I'm so sorry.'

'Sammy? Dude what you got to be sorry for?' Dean asked his frown deepening.

'I'm sorry Dean I tried to stay alive for you, I really tried.' Sam kept mumbling, his eyes squeezed shut and he writhed in confusion and pain.

'Sammy wake up dude you're not dead.' Dean prompted his brother, 'come on ya little freak wakey, wakey.'

'Dean? No, no please I tried I really tried to ...' Sam wept openly when he finally opened his eyes and tried to focus on the face floating above him.

'Sam look at me.' Dean spoke sharply as he wrapped his hands around each side of his brother's face and forced him to look up at him, 'we are not dead.'

'But, but ...' Sam shook his head and tried to remember exactly what happened, the bright light and the blackness disappearing. 'Dean?'

'Yeah dude it's me in the flesh.' Dean grinned his own tears threatening to fall, 'Sammy?'

'I'm okay I – I think.' Sam hiccuped, 'you?'

'I'm gonna be fine ... we have to get you outta here and back to our time and modern medicine.'

'Dean I have tingling in my right leg, not much but...' Sam revealed, a look of hope mirrored on the brother's faces.

'Jonas?' Dean turned to look at the older man, 'how's it gonna work?'

'Well we have to use the portal in the main bedroom, the bathroom one will be too small.'

'So we need to get Sam in there?' Dean stared thoughtfully at his brother, 'wanna use the wheelchair again?'

'Guess so.' Sam sighed, his head ached and a strange tingling filled his entire body, 'Dean I – I don't feel so good.'

'What's the matta?' Dean immediately appeared at his brother's side again, 'Sammy?'

'Scared Dean.' Sam whispered, 'something's not right.'

'Sam can you tell us what it is?' Jonas asked adding his own worry to the situation.

'Feels so heavy...' Sam had a distant look to his eyes as he focused on something over his brother's shoulder that only he could see. 'Dean ...'

'Sam talk to us.'

'So heavy ... so tired.' Sam blinked and looked at Dean, 'the portals are closing.' He muttered before passing out.

'Sammy?' Dean cried quickly checking Sam's breathes and pulse. 'Jonas what's going on?'

'I – I do not know.'

'Jonas that is not reassuring much.'

'I do not know what else to say.' Jonas floundered unable to hide his shock, 'your brother is a true sensitive?'

'Yeah, yeah he is in a way, he has visions and stuff.' Dean sank down on the edge of the bed, 'ya know not so long ago Jonas all we had to worry about was celebrating my twenty-eighth birthday and Sammy was teasing me about grey hair, now we're in a time and place we don't belong and my brother has a broken back and a weakened heart. Tell me Jonas what do I do now?'

* * *

Author's Endnote:

And this is where I am ending Augustine's Ring.

But have no fear I am going to pick up the storyline in a brand new story, 'On Time's Doorstep.' Which will be up very, very shortly.

Hmm so will the brothers get back to the present day and get to celebrate their birthdays ever again??


End file.
